Mississippi in the 2017 IBC
The birthplace of blues music will also have a more than a few hats in the ring. Several of Mississippi’s best names in modern blues music will be taking on all challengers in the International Blues Challenge, some of which may be familiar to local lovers of live music
USCIS Fees May Put Foreign Music Under Fire
Making the leap from national to international touring is rough for musicians, and after new fees from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services take effect Dec. 23, it may get much more difficult for artists coming into the United States. On Oct. 24, the USCIS announced that fees for many immigration …
Lil Wayne-2Chainz Collab Comes to JSU
Two current titans in hip-hop are headed for Jackson. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz are currently on tour in support of their collaborative album, "Collegrove," a portmanteau of the neighborhoods where the two rappers grew up, 2 Chainz's College Park near Atlanta and Lil Wayne's Holly Grove in New Orleans, …
Boyfriend and Big Freedia Release Collaboration
New Orleans-based hip-hop artist Boyfriend released a new single Wednesday, Aug. 17, that features fellow New Orleanian Big Freedia, known to her fans as the "Queen of Bounce." The track, titled "Marie Antoinette," is an ode to lavish lifestyles and over-the-top indulgence, all built on a bass-heavy, harpsichord-laden track from …
Jackson Featured in 'Living Blues'
The August-September edition of renowned blues-music magazine "Living Blues" showcases a variety of significant figures from Jackson's thriving blues community, including King Edward, Dorothy Moore, Jesse Robinson, Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood, Jarekus Singleton, Eddie Cotton Jr., jj Thames and Grady Champion, among others.
Jackson Indie Music Week Rides Again
It’s only been about five months since the inaugural Jackson Indie Music Week brought music-industry panels, podcasts and performers from every genre to about 12 venues throughout the capital city, but preparations are already underway to make 2017 Jackson Indie Music Week, which takes place Jan. 8 through Jan. 15, even larger in scale.
A Look Ahead at Album Releases (May-June 2016)
As the summer starts, so does the music festival circuit. That's the primetime for many bands and solo artists to release new music, giving them a little something extra to promote while on tour. Here's a look at some of the big releases—and a few smaller ones that I'm looking forward to—for the coming weeks.
2016 Blues Music Award Winners Announced
The Blues Foundation has released the list of winners for this year's Blues Music Awards following its 37th annual award ceremony, which took place at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., on May 5. Even casual blues fans will recognize many of the musicians honored that night. The list …
Music Icon Prince Has Died
After reports of the death of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Prince began circulating earlier today, national news media sources swarmed to find the truth if there was any truth to the rumor. Sadly, the artist's publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, has now confirmed to multiple sources, including CNN, that Prince had been …
'Idol' at the End
As TV singing competition "American Idol" wraps its 15th and final season, we look at the contestants representing Mississippi in the final three.
Big Freedia Pleads Guilty to Section 8 Fraud
Only a few weeks after Big Freedia resolved her battle with Hattiesburg over a wrongly cancelled performance, which is now back on, the New Orleans hip-hop artist has become embroiled in a battle of a different kind. On Wednesday, March 16, Freedia pleaded guilty to the theft of about $35,000 …
Motion City Soundtrack Is No More
After 18 years in the international alternative music scene, Motion City Soundtrack has announced that the band will enter an indefinite hiatus following its upcoming 29-date United States tour. The tour will begin May 5 in Portland and end June 24 in Minneapolis, the city where vocalist Justin Pierre and …
Just In: Big Freedia to perform at Martin's in Jackson on March 24
Fresh off a controversy in Hattiesburg, in which the owner of the Dollar Box Showroom said he was pressured to cancel her show, Big Freedia is returning to Mississippi with a vengeance. In what the New Orleans bounce artist is calling "Twerkloose" performances, her manager Reid Martin told the JFP …
CeeLo Brought a Zu
Amidst the general political chaos of the presidential primaries and visits from Bill Clinton and Donald "Drumpf" Trump, Grammy Award winner CeeLo Green also made a stop in the city of Jackson. As is usually the case with the eccentric singer and songwriter, he didn't come alone. Wherever Green pops …
SilaS' 'Gullah Gullah Island' Goes National
The local hip-hop community has been singing the praises of "Gullah Gullah Island," the latest single from Jackson rapper Silas Stapleton, who performs as SilaS, since it began making the rounds last November. Now, having garnered attention from major national music publication Vibe, SilaS fans can expect a second wind …
Fondren's First Thursday Lives
After cryptic statements here and there and word of a return to New York, Fondren's First Thursday founder Ron Chane announced that his monthly event would be back in Fondren once more, though rumors of its demise weren't entirely unfounded. Chane, who also owns local businesses Studio Chane, Swell-O-Phonic and …
Indie Music Week: ICON Rundown
From its industry panels to artist showcases, the team behind the first Jackson Indie Music Week, which ran Jan. 11 through Jan. 17, wanted the festival to recognize the talent and achievements already active in the capital city. Of course, nothing things says “recognition” like a shelf full of trophies, …
Indie Music Week: Having 'Done the Knowledge'
Despite somewhat of a rough start, the "Do the Knowledge" panel, one of the first major events for the inaugural Jackson Indie Music Week, delivered some useful advice for music-industry hopefuls.
Grammy Museum Mississippi Postpones Opening
If you totally spaced and forgot to attend the grand opening of the Grammy Museum of Mississippi in Cleveland, originally proposed for early this fall, don't worry. There's always next year. Earlier this month, the museum’s board of directors announced that the state-of-the-art, 27,000-square-foot facility on the campus of Delta …
Steve Earle Weighs in on Flag
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Earle is the latest voice to join the flag debate, though his voice comes in the form of a good-old-fashioned protest song. On the track, titled "Mississippi, It's Time," the Virginia-born musician denounces the Confederate battle emblem's position on the Mississippi state flag, which has been a …