Friday Five is a little later than expected today, due to a project I jumped on this morning with fellow blogger Jay Gabler. He interviewed Stephen King, Amy Tan, and a half-dozen other members of Rock Bottom Remainders, the author-comprised cover band who sold out their show tonight at First Avenue. We’ll get you that […]

Lizzo, “Truth Hurts” Lizzo doesn’t have a new album officially announced, but she seems to be ramping up to something with “Truth Hurts” and “Water Me,” the two singles she’s released on Atlantic in the last couple of months. Maybe we’ll know what it is by the time she plays the Myth on New Year’s Eve. […]

Toki Wright, “The Situation (prod. Mamadu)” “What’s a stack when your head is cracked?” asks local cornerstone Toki Wright, who produced this song under the name Mamadu. Reggie “Reg” Henderson directs. Bo Weber, “Right Here” After losing his mother to ovarian cancer, Minneapolis’s Bo Weber recorded an album called Wendy dedicated to her memory. One song off the album, […]

Between his work as a U.S. Ambassador in Sierra Leone and being McNally Smith College of Music’s hip-hop program department chair, local rapper Toki Wright is taking time for community outreach in southeastern Minnesota. Wright will give two days of public workshops, including a free show, this month in Winona area schools. The Mid West Music […]

Earlier this month, Toki Wright—a local hip-hop artist and educator—surprised the eighth grade class at Roseville Area Middle School by appearing at their graduation. “I was playing in the Mainroom and my big bro Conrad at First Avenue asked if I would come out to the school and make a special guest appearance,” explains Wright, referring […]

Let’s start this article with full disclosure. As someone who’s performed at and hosted Soundset a few times, put out albums jointly with Rhymesayers (RSE) and Soul Tools, and received support for the Twin Cities Celebration of Hip-Hop festival from RSE, my perspective is biased. Sorry, my friend, you aren’t going to get a disgruntled dissertation. […]

Going into its sixth year as a music festival in Winona, Mid West Music Fest (MWMF) promises three days of live performances, along with educational presentations and family friendly activities from April 23-25. This year’s festival will feature headliner Charlie Parr—who has performed every year at MWMF since 2011—as well as DJ Abilities, Chastity Brown, Communist Daughter, […]

Lizzo and Toki Wright (with producer/collaborator Big Cats) will headline a show Jan. 10 at the Varsity Theater to benefit To The Bridge Foundation. To The Bridge supports individuals struggling with addiction on their way to recovery. Proceeds from the show will go toward helping people working through chemical dependency build bridges to the next stage of their lives. Lizzo […]