The Latest

In mid-October of 2023, Northeastern’s Council for University Programs (CUP) made an exciting announcement: popular rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie would be performing in the historic Matthew’s Arena in early November for the university’s homecoming week. On November 9th, the highly anticipated day finally arrived.

The night was charged with excitement as A Boogie closed out his Me vs Myself college tour, which included a stop at UMass Amherst. This tour has served as a testament to his popularity amongst the college demographic – tickets for his Northeastern show sold out within hours of going on sale. As anticipation filled the air while fans awaited his performance, it was clear that this was more than just a concert; it was a journey through time, revisiting his classic hits that defined many student’s high school days.

Known for his distinctive blend of melodic hooks and raw lyricism, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie brought his unique flavor to the show. As a trailblazer in New York City’s hip-hop scene, A Boogie’s ability to seamlessly weave between genres and deliver chart-topping hits has solidified his place as a modern rap icon. His first chart-topping hit “Drowning” with Kodak Black put him in the spotlight, and his 2018 project “Hoodie SZN” delivered a plethora of iconic hits, including “Swervin” with 6ix9ine, “Demons and Angels” with Juice WRLD, and “Look Back at It.”

As fans trickled into the arena, A Boogie’s supporting acts, DJ Guru Sanaal followed by DJ Ominaya, took the stage. Both helped to hype up the crowd by playing a combination of nostalgic pop tracks as well as iconic rap tracks, with some electronic dance music mixed in. The sold-out arena filled with students on the balcony, in the bowl seating section, and the floor, which was divided by a walkway through the middle.

From the moment A Boogie hit the stage, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. The stage presence and charisma he exuded kept the audience on their feet, creating a high-energy atmosphere that never waned. The production design was a visual feast, with dynamic lighting, striking visuals, and a booming sound system that reverberated through the arena. The audio quality was top-notch, allowing every beat drop and lyric to hit with maximum impact.A Boogie connected with the audience on a personal level, interacting with them as he walked through the split on the floor addressing the crowd with gratitude. He also included a variety of tributes to recently deceased icons of today’s hip hop culture in his setlist, with songs honoring Pop Smoke, PnB Rock, and Juice WRLD. The call-and-response moments and crowd engagement added an interactive layer, transforming the concert into a shared celebration of hip-hop culture.

His setlist concluded with his hit song “Drowning,” which he played multiple times before leaving the stage. From the electrifying performances to the immersive visual and audio elements, every aspect of the concert contributed to a memorable night for fans of A Boogie and hip-hop enthusiasts alike.

As the Best New Artist of 2022 at the Boston Music Awards, Dorchester rapper “kei” has proven to be an emerging prominent figure in hip hop in the Boston area. Although she maintains her self and image as being a “rapper,” the styles she explores seem quite diverse, particularly because of the “out-of-the-box” approach she takes to making music and expressing herself. Her sound is defined as “rage-filled,” “chaotic,” and “aggressive,” but the topics she raps about vary – from personal, more heartfelt things, to angrier, more aggressive things. 

Apart from her talent for rapping, kei remains true to her roots and beliefs, both through her music and in the way she speaks about herself in interviews, public appearances, etc. She doesn’t shy away from the topic of being black woman, either, constantly mentioning the stereotypes and stigmas she feels she’s sometimes pressured to adhere to as one (which, she’s expressed numerous times she has no interest in doing). “As a young Black woman,” she says, “there’s this stigma behind what a woman in general in music should sound like or do. Her flow, her sound, and just how she expresses herself visually, all is inspirational to me and kind of kick started my perspective on how to be out of the box.” 

Being “outside of the box” is certainly something she sticks to, seen through her loud sound, wild visual style, bold album covers and concepts (i.e. her newest album “CHILD’S PLAY” being based around her love for horror), etc. She raps in a straightforward, profanity-filled, aggressive manner to get her points across clearly, but her voice also has a certain softness to it that resonates more with the emotional side of her music, particularly with the lyrics / motivations behind what she’s rapping about.

The rapper has been quite open about her personal life, too, which shows a lot in her music and lyrics. Of her family, she recalls, “I’ve watched my family struggle. I’ve watched my parents, you know, pay bills, check to check. And I’ve watched them sacrifice so much and not really do things for themselves.” She noted that her dad eventually stopped making music, for example, and seeing that angered kei, motivating her to continue strong with her dream – no matter the sacrifice – in order to break this “generational curse.” 

Her song “wake up” has lyrics like “I remember growing up in households that were broke,” where she continues this narrative about how she chased her dreams and worked her way up out of the poverty she was in. It, like many of her other songs, showcases sensitive feelings about her personal life despite the song sonically being very contrasting (packed with aggression and profanity). This contrast in her work is powerful, though, and it’s clear that audiences think the same evinced by her recent award. 

It’s exciting to see how kei has taken the Boston hip hop scene by storm as of late, and it’s certainly exciting to see the new things she’ll do to continue to do in the future as she continues going “out of the box,” as she puts it, broadening borders for black female rappers even further.  Her authenticity and ability to keep her audience guessing with what she releases next is a captivating quality for an artist, as is the passion in her sound, and I wish her all the best with her career.