Vanderbilt Programming Board emailed students Dec. 4 for feedback regarding the annual Rites of Spring festival. The survey allows students to offer their thoughts on which artists they’d like to see take the stage over the course of the two-day music festival, held April 17 and 18. This year, the artists being considered are primarily in the rap, indie rock, R&B, hip hop and EDM genre. With so many talented musicians, it can be tricky to break down your favorites. We’ve put together a guide to help you make an informed decision about the festival performers you want to see in the spring.
Group 1
This American rapper and songwriter gained recognition in the early 2000s working with Pharrell Williams. He very lyrical and a little bit more old-school compared to other artists in the genre. His most recent album “Daytona” was released in 2018 and features Kanye West. “If You Know You Know” and “The Games We Play” remain two of his most-listened-to songs to date.
Having gained popularity as a rapper on SoundCloud, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie signed with Atlantic Records in 2016, a label shared by Cardi B, Lil Uzi Vert, Kodak Black and many more. “Look Back At It” and “Drowning” are his two most popular songs, and his most recent single, “Reply,” features Lil Uzi Vert.
DaBaby is a rapper who became active in 2015, but has recently gained popularity for his 2019 album “Baby on Baby.” He uses plenty of ad-libs in his upbeat, hype rap singles. This latest album of his rose to the top of the Billboard 200 charts and his song “Suge” reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 100.
Group 2
This artist explores multiple genres such as hip hop, punk rap, trap and trap metal. His newest album “Stokely” was released Nov. 30. His performance at Vanderbilt would potentially be one of the earliest opportunities to listen to his latest work live.
An Atlanta native, the city of emerging rap legends, J.I.D. is signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records. He is known for the catchy lyrics he pairs with fast-paced, funky beats. His most acclaimed songs are “Never,” “1993” and “Off Deez.” The artist is said to have been influenced by other Atlanta rappers such as T.I.
Smino mixes hip hop, neo soul, electro-funk and R&B in his releases to create a unique and technically impressive sound. He has amassed over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has been on the rise since his hit album “blkswn” was released in 2017, which Rolling Stone hailed as one of the 40 best rap albums of the year.
Different from the other rappers in this category, Blood Orange is a songwriter, instrumentalist and music producer. His 2016 album “Freetown Sound” delivered soothing, atmospheric songs that put him in the public eye. To date, he has produced and played music for big names such as Solange, Tinashe, Florence and the Machine and Mariah Carey.
Unlike many other songwriters, 6LACK has a very private persona and prefers to keep his personal life away from the public eye. With that being said, his talent in the rap genre could not be ignored; in 2018 he was nominated for two Grammy Awards in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category and the Best Rap Song/Performance category. He used to be known for battle-style rap exclusively but has switched to a more melodious style. His popular songs include “OTW,” featuring Khalid, and “Pretty Little Fears,” which he produced with J. Cole.
Group 3
After immigrating to the states from Guatemala at just 10 years old, Carnage truly defines the American dream. Growing up in Maryland, he developed a passion for music. Over time, he built up his platform and is now recognized as a pioneer within the Trap genre. He has had massive collabs alongside artists like Lil Pump and Migos and is both a DJ and record producer. Carnage is best known for his live performances at major music festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival.
Troy Henry is a British electronic music artist with songs that veer from commercial dance-pop to electro-house. Among his most popular productions are Little Mix’s “Lightning,” as well as his remixes of ZAYN’s “Like I Would” and Missy Elliott’s “WTF [Where They From].” He has garnered over 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and is currently performing throughout the U.S. on his “Nostalgia” tour.
