The more I sat with this album, the more the title started to hit different. Pigs can’t fly, and Northside kids aren’t supposed to either. That’s the lie they grow up hearing. It echoes in the way just surviving gets mistaken for success. Don’t aim too high. Don’t...
Last year we took a look at our favorite records to come out of the city in October of 2022. That was a while ago, so we here at RVA Mag felt that it was time to take a deep dive into the scene again to bring to the light some music releases that deserve the spotlight. Our goal is to cover releases that either didn't get enough attention at the...
It's not every day a piece of a city's soul is put up for sale and we are a few weeks late on this piece of news. But here we are, at the edge of Hadad’s Lake, looking back at the ripples of history and community connection that this place has fostered over the years. In 1965, Dorian Hadad's father, Ronald Sr., along with the money he earned as a...
JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown stormed The National's stage this past Wednesday, marking the inauguration tour for the joint album, Scaring The Hoes. Decked out in the notorious Big Red Boots, they were nothing short of electrifying. The night's spectacle resonated with their promotional flyer's retro gaming vibe, influenced by Capcom vs. SNK:...
When we saw the lineup, it definitely caught our attention. Major hip hop legends coming to Charlottesville, VA for a locally grown festival? We are down to know more. Digging in with Jay "Jaewar" King, the dynamic creative force behind Vibe Riot and the creator of Vibe Fest, is on a mission to unify and celebrate diversity through the pulsating...
There are lots of celebrations in the Richmond music world coming up, and what could be a more fitting way for musicians to commemorate milestones and successes then by having a day filled with music. If you’re overwhelmed by all the exciting things happening around town, then look no further because I will be giving you the full run down on all...
Meet Smyth, a Richmond-based artist and founder of Kidz At Play, who we wrote about earlier this week. His latest solo album, Paperface!, serves as his emotional canvas. Drawing from suburban experiences and cinematic influences, Smyth crafts a vibrant, psychedelic world, transforming the mundane into the otherworldly. Paperface! isn't just an...
Hey, Richmond, ready for a shot in the arm? Well, next week, prepare for the maiden voyage of Richmond Music Week, a coordinated strike from some of the city's stalwart music institutions — HearRVA, Ignited, The Auricular, RVA Playlist, Shockoe Records, and Virginia is for Music Lovers. It's a bold move, attempting to bottle the lightning that is...
Richmond's music scene has been buzzing about the collective success of local hip-hop group, Kidz At Play. This sensational 11-member collective, which began as a close-knit group of high school friends, has recently been signed to AWAL, a label under the Sony banner, renowned for housing diverse major talents like Little Simz, JPEGMAFIA, and...
Looks like we got another dose from NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series this week, the spotlight is not only on the legendary West Coast hip-hop ensemble, Cypress Hill, but also on a few of our favorite homegrown musicians hailing from Richmond. This killer set, along with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, was cherry-on-top blessed...
