FRESH2DEATH RETURNS …
OUTSIDE THIS SUNDAY!Friday, March 17
Creative siblings, Davita and Dion Galloway, are back again with the third iteration of the groundbreaking festival, FRESH 2 DEATH (F2D), an activation focused on the work of Black and Brown artists, musicians and fashion designers. The latest installment of F2D is in and around Neighborhood Theatre in NoDa this Sunday, March 19 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The all-day extravaganza, with an URBAN OUTSIDERS theme, will dominate the theater and surrounding area with fashion, art, culture, food, music and interactive activities. The focus this time is on encouraging attendees to disconnect from their screens and take part in activities such as yoga, meditation and even a scavenger hunt. The ticketed event will showcase installations from many creatives, all-day live music, fashion, workshops and pop-up shopping from a variety of vendors in their FRESH MARKET, a retail concept inside DUPP&SWAT that sells thrifted clothing as well as clothes from local designers.
Creatives Making Opportunities for CreativesDUPP&SWAT is a Camp North End space the Galloway sibs founded in 2010 to meet the needs of Black creatives in the region. The space is a retail shop and event space for pop-ups, birthday parties, concerts and more. Drawing on F2D’s sponsorship from Blumenthal Performing Arts, the event will also offer live performances curated by Davita and Dion. The festival has a line-up of heavy hitters. Knowing that, we just had to talk to them. Below, we’ll introduce you to seven artists participating in F2D: URBAN OUTSIDERS that hail from all sides of the festival — from curation to sponsorship to live performers. To catch their live performances, purchase tickets to F2D: URBAN OUTSIDERS HERE. PERFORMERSINDIGO JO
Indigo Jo, a Charlotte resident for nearly 30 years, was inspired by jazz as a teen and would scat along with the records he listened to, which inspired his current abstract musical style. Jo loves the limitless expressive freedom that comes with being a musician and finds he connects to his audiences because of it. He is currently reformatting his streaming platforms with new music. Follow his Instagram for updates and unreleased music. Learn More About Indigo Jo THEFIRM TheFirm photographed by Gloria Zavaleta
TheFirm is a soulful hip hop group that has been in Charlotte for 10 years. The duo was heavily influenced by their mothers, who were fans of R&B and hip-hop in the ‘90s. From there, member J. Cannon started making music in high school, and Jus Coop followed suit in college. Cannon and Coop push each other to connect with their audiences – they want audiences to feel “connected, inspired, moved and seen.” “The majority of the music we make comes from lived experiences,” TheFirm said. They enjoy performing and connecting with their audiences during and after shows. See Them Live They will be releasing their fourth studio project this year and will also appear on a four-part, collaborative project called Pangea. Started by Reasons Brown, owner of The Honeycomb Experience, the Pangea project will feature over 30 artists ranging from poets to musicians. Learn More About TheFirm CYANCA
Cyanca, who’s been in Charlotte for seven years, grew up singing at church. Her parents watched her passion blossom and supported her along the way by purchasing instruments. By 8 years old, she was leading songs in her church. Entering middle school, she was in chorus, concert band and eventually marching band in high school. She studied percussion at UNC Greensboro. Cyanca loves to travel in support of her music because she gets to meet her fans. She describes her music as warm and a reflection of “the excitement [you have] when you hear something nostalgic … I want my music to be a reminder of the good times and memories you experience.” Learn More About Cyanca
PHAZE GAWD
Charlotte native Phaze Gawd is an upbeat musical artist. His dad, who has often performed at festivals around Charlotte, encouraged Phaze to get into music. Having an at-home studio made that easy. Phaze loves performing live. The connection he has with his audience keeps him making music. He prides himself on his “versatility” and said he “leans toward high-energy, up-tempo production with heavy bass and kicks.” See Him Live Phaze is at Bart’s Mart on Tuesday nights as the MC for Tap In Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m. Learn More About Phaze Gawd
REUBEN VINCENT
Reuben Vincent is a Charlotte-born and -raised artist. He gravitated toward music as an emotional outlet and listened to the music his father used to play – ‘90s hip-hop music such as 2Pac, BIG and 50 Cent. Making music and watching a song manifest into something tangible is one of his favorite parts of being an artist. Vincent loves seeing the crowd’s reactions to his music while performing live. Vincent wants his audiences to feel his vulnerability, passion for music and hunger to succeed when they listen to him. He likens his musical style to a plate of soul food and African food, “heavy meals, that are nourishing, good for the soul. I make music that feeds your soul, that you can relate to, but that you can also digest and enjoy.” See Him Live Vincent is often traveling the U.S and performing at local venues and colleges. You can see him at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Dreamville Festival the weekend of April 1 and 2, 2023. Learn More About Reuben Vincent EVENT SPONSORSKINNY JAY
Skinny Jay is co-creator of the brand Skinny Jay and Friends, a group of five creatives engaged in music curation, graphic design and more. “Skinny” is an artist and arts supporter; he often serves as a connector — working with organizations and brands like BLKMRKT and Adidas. He’s originally from L.A. but has been in Charlotte for the last decade. He became interested in community engagement on Skid Row (Central City East) in downtown L.A. When he moved to Charlotte, he found the best way to support his new community was to “show up.” Skinny Jay and Friends champion creatives by buying tickets to local shows, sponsoring creative events and creating installations at local shows. Learn More About Skinny Jay CREATIVE CURATIONJ MACKS
Jessica Macks (“J Macks”) stayed in Charlotte after graduating from Johnson C. Smith in 2003. She’s a multi-faceted creative who sings, acts, produces and curates events. Having created lasting memories with the International Institution of Sound (IIOS) Marching Golden Bull, Macks went on to create an all-girl band in 2010 called the Bad Mamma Jammas. She wants people to have memorable experiences at her events, whether she’s on stage performing or behind the scenes organizing creative experiences. Macks has experience in planning and executing large-scale events including concerts, grand openings, fashion shows and festivals. Each of the artists we spoke to mentioned that one of the easiest ways to show your support is to show up. “Show up with passion,” Cyana said. “Show up like you care, and see the progress and the accolades a lot of artists around the city are achieving.” Learn More about J Macks GET TICKETS NOW!Each of the artists we spoke to mentioned that one of the easiest ways to show your support is to show up. “Show up with passion,” Cyana said. “Show up like you care, and see the progress and the accolades a lot of artists around the city are achieving.” F2D tickets are $20 each and include everything from yoga classes to live music performances and more. To purchase tickets, visit the Blumenthal Performing Arts website.
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