NA02—26 · Independent Press · Los Angeles

TWS

Music  Culture  Radio

contact: raven.curry@7langes.la

▼ Selected Coverage
01

Brazil 2027: Eleven Months Out

Sports
02

Goldie Returns With “Jungle Daze” ft. Natalie Williams

MusicPhotos
03

LA AFTER THE WORLD CUP

SportsPhotos
04

Curren$y Is Going On Tour

ConcertsVideoPhotos
05

Eladio Carrión Releases New Album "DON KBRN

StoryVideoPhotos
06

311 Announce the Unity Tour

Tour News
07

IN THE ZONE W/ SHUNKAN

StoryVideo
08

In the loop with Iamyourlittlebrother

StoryLos Angeles, CAVideo
09

TIKFAH'S ROAD TO SUCCESS

StoryLos Angeles, CAVideo
10

Doechii is everything the culture needs right now

Story
11

Nicki Nicole Announces Herself in the Desert

The FestivalIndio, California
12

Agender's Eccentric Album

StoryVideo
13

CultureCon In LA Presented By HBO Max

StoryLos Angeles, CAVideo
14

Halle Bailey, in Conversation with Muni Long

The PanelGrammy Weekend, Los AngelesVideo
15

AG CLUB AT CAMP FLOG GNAW

StoryLos Angeles, CAVideo
16

Jean Dawson Doesn't Follow Rules

The InterviewLos AngelesVideo
17

Teyana Taylor Hosts 'A Tribute to the Nominees' Pre-Grammy Celebration

Grammy WeekGlobe Theatre, Los AngelesVideo
18

Arin Ray Drops His Second Album "Hello Poison

StoryVideo
19

Artist To Know | Shenseea

StoryVideo
20

Nia Sultana's Debut EP "Bigger Dreams

StoryVideo
21

The Car Show At The Promised Land

StoryPhotos
22

7LA.RADIO | COACHELLA PLAYLIST

Story
23

Nicki Nicole At Coachella

StoryPalm Springs, CA
24

NTWRK x Galore Pre-Party

StoryPalm Springs, CaliforniaVideo
25

ROLLING STONES X META | ROLLING STONES LIVE

StoryVideo
26

7LA.RADIO CHILL MIX VOL.1

Story
27

Coachella Weekend Parties | The Remezcla House

StoryPhotos
28

ARE NFT FESTIVALS THE NEW WAVE ?

EventsLos AngelesPhotos
29

ESSENCE HOLLYWOOD HOUSE : TO ALTADENA WITH LOVE

EventLos Angeles
30

Lil Wayne's UPROAR Fest Proves the Catalog Is Forever

The FestivalLos AngelesVideo
31

Artist On The Rise - BBY Kodie

StoryLos Angeles
32

ARTIST ON THE RISE MUSTAFA

StoryHollywood, CaliforniaVideoPhotos
33

7LA Radio: The Sound Of The City

On AirSpotify
All Stories

Sports

Brazil 2027: Eleven Months Out

The tenth FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off in Brazil on June 24, 2027, and ends at the final on July 25. Thirty-two teams, sixty-four matches, eight cities. It is the first Women's World Cup held in South America, and the last that will be played with a 32-team field before FIFA expands to 48 for 2031.

Here's where things actually stand.

## The eight cities

Belo Horizonte (Mineirão), Brasília (Estádio Nacional), Fortaleza (Arena Castelão), Porto Alegre (Beira-Rio), Recife (Arena de Pernambuco), Rio de Janeiro (Maracanã), Salvador (Arena Fonte Nova), São Paulo (Arena Itaquera).

All eight hosted matches at the 2014 men's World Cup, which is the point — Brazil is running this on existing stadiums with existing training infrastructure. Twelve cities were nominated by the CBF. Belém, Cuiabá, Manaus and Natal missed the cut.

The final venue has not been confirmed publicly as of this writing. The Maracanã is the obvious candidate and the sentimental one; it staged the men's finals in 1950 and 2014.

## The format

Eight groups of four. Top two from each group advance to a round of 16, then quarter-finals, semis, final.

Qualification slots: 11 UEFA, 6 AFC, 4 each for CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL, 1 OFC, plus intercontinental play-off places. Brazil qualify automatically as hosts, taking one of CONMEBOL's four.

Spain arrive as defending champions, having won their first title in 2023 — and now carrying a men's title alongside it after July's final in New Jersey. No nation has held both simultaneously before.

## Why this edition matters more than the bracket suggests

Three things are converging.

It's the last 32-team tournament. Whatever happens in Brazil becomes the closing argument for a format that produced the 2023 and 2027 editions. Expansion to 48 is already confirmed. Everyone arguing about competitive balance in women's football is arguing about the evidence this tournament generates.

It's South America's first. The women's game in Brazil has operated for decades in the shadow of the men's, under a federation that only formally professionalized the domestic women's league in recent years. A home World Cup is the largest forcing function that infrastructure has ever faced.

The timing is unusually good. It follows a men's World Cup on the same continental doorstep by less than twelve months, into a global audience already warmed up.

## What to watch between now and June

The group-stage draw sets the bracket and the travel maps — until then, nobody's planning anything precisely. Play-off fixtures are still resolving several qualification places. And the host cities have begun operational planning with FIFA staff embedded, which is when the practical details start surfacing: transport, accreditation, ticketing.

If you're planning to be there, the two decisions that matter early are accommodation and internal flights. Brazil is large, the eight cities are spread across five regions, and a group-stage itinerary that looks reasonable on a map can involve four-hour flights between fixtures.

More as the schedule lands.

All Stories

Music

Goldie Returns With “Jungle Daze” ft. Natalie Williams

Goldie is back. “Jungle Daze,” featuring jazz vocalist Natalie Williams, is out now via London Records, arriving alongside an official music video and a premiere from Nemone on BBC Radio 6 Music.

Williams is no stranger to Goldie’s world — she appeared on “I Adore You” from his 2017 album The Journey Man. Here, her voice is folded into a widescreen production that moves from time-stretched breaks into something more cinematic and open-ended. It reaches back toward the 90s without living there.

Goldie has framed the record as a nod to the younger generation now discovering jungle — a reminder of where the sound came from, from someone who was there when it was built.

The single marks the opening of a new chapter, with more music promised in the coming months. The next marker is Dare To Dream, a one-off orchestral performance at London’s Royal Festival Hall on November 14 as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. Staged across two performances, it pairs Goldie with the Elysian Collective, a choir, and special guests still to be announced, and is expected to premiere unreleased material — “Jungle Daze” included.

Three decades in, from Timeless (1995) through orchestral works like Sine Tempore, the instinct has stayed the same: expand, don’t consolidate.

“Jungle Daze” by Goldie is out now via London Records.

All Stories

Sports

LA AFTER THE WORLD CUP

Eight matches. More than 560,000 people through the gates in Inglewood. A Fan Festival at the Coliseum, ten official fan zones, three hundred–odd community events scattered across the region. Los Angeles hosted a World Cup and, by the numbers the tourism office is circulating, hosted it well.

Now comes the part nobody photographs: what the city actually keeps.

## The runway is unusually short

Most host cities get years to metabolize a World Cup. LA gets seven months. Super Bowl LXI lands at SoFi in February 2027. Then the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — July 14–30 and August 15–27 — with opening and closing ceremonies split between SoFi and the Memorial Coliseum, the same bowl that lit the torch in 1932 and 1984.

SoFi will have hosted a World Cup, a Super Bowl, and an Olympics in three consecutive years. For the Games it gets converted into a 38,000-seat swimming venue, the largest in Olympic history. The building that just held a World Cup quarter-final becomes a pool.

There's a version of this that reads as civic bragging. There's a more useful version: the 2026 tournament functioned as a live rehearsal for Olympic-scale logistics — transit load, security perimeters, crowd flow across a region with no center. What broke in June and July is what LA28 now has eighteen months to fix.

## What's actually left behind

The honest answer is: not much infrastructure, by design. LA28 is running a venue plan built almost entirely on existing and temporary facilities. There is no new stadium. There is no white elephant.

That's the smart bet, and it also means the legacy question can't be answered by pointing at a building. What LA is left with is softer and harder to measure — a generation of kids in a city with two MLS sides, an NWSL club, and a summer where the world showed up in their neighborhood.

Whether that converts depends on things far less glamorous than a tournament: field access, coaching pipelines, whether the youth clinics that ran during the World Cup exist in November.

## The next frame

For anyone making images in this city, the interesting work over the next two years isn't inside the stadiums. It's in the gap — the Coliseum between events, the Inglewood blocks around a building that changes function every twelve months, the pickup games on public fields that will still be there in 2029 when the circus has moved to Brisbane.

The tournament is the easy picture. The city on either side of it is the harder one, and the only one that lasts.

All Stories

Concerts

Curren$y Is Going On Tour

Shante Franklin, better known as Curren$y, is hitting the road this spring for his highly anticipated 4:20 Tour with The 747 Band. The tour kicks off on April 18, 2025 in Austin, Texas, and to other cities across the country. The tour follows the release of his latest album which dropped on March 14. The project is a collaboration with notable producer Harry Fraud and showcases an intriguing blend of classic hip-hop with Curren$y's signature hard hitting flow over trap-style drums.A highlight of the tour will take place on April 22, 2025. When Curren$y performs at Warehouse Live Midtown venue in Houston, Texas. As the opening the night act is rappers, producer, and of 7 L'ANGES close collaborator, Iamyourlittlebrother.Overall, the 4:20 Tour is slated to provide an authentic musical experience with live instrumentation top-tier performances. Tickets are available here: Curren$y tour tickets

All Stories

Story

Eladio Carrión Releases New Album "DON KBRN

Eladio Carrión, 30, is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter who was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He recently released Don Kbrn, a twenty two track Latin trap album featuring major artists like Big Sean, Jessie Reyez, and Peso Pluma.The project blends hard-hitting trap drums with unique synths, giving the album an eccentric and dynamic sound. On tracks like “Mosh Pit Musik,” the production has a clear direction and energy that pulls the listener in and lets them fully immerse themselves in the experience.Overall Don Kbrn feels like the perfect project to cruise to in the summer.

All Stories

Tour News

311 Announce the Unity Tour

311 are starting the year off right with the announcement of their Unity Tour, riding the success of 311 Day and their latest album, Full Bloom.

The tour kicks off June 20 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and travels across the United States. Tickets for 311 Nation members went on sale first, with general sales beginning March 21 at 10 a.m. local time. Fans can sign up for tour updates and presale information at unity-tour.com.

All Stories

Story

IN THE ZONE W/ SHUNKAN

Marina Sakimoto, better known by her stage name Shunkan, is a Grammy-nominated producer, singer, and songwriter. She just dropped the single Hell-Bound, the first taste of her upcoming album Kamikaze Girl, which is set to release on May 6, 2025. The track blends soft drum beats with classic rock guitar, creating a vibe that takes you straight back to the ‘90s alternative rock era. But Hell-Bound is more than just a nostalgic song; it really shows off Shunkan’s artistry and versatile cadence, giving us a glimpse of what’s to come on the album. Offering a glimpse into the sonic world she's created for the album. And even though Kamikaze Girl will be her third album, it’s her first in five years, making this a highly anticipated return.

All Stories

Story

In the loop with Iamyourlittlebrother

Dope Dev, now known as Iamyourlittlebrother, is a rapper, producer, and songwriter based in Houston, Texas. He often collaborates with long-time producer and artist Indica Nights, and together, they craft a unique sound that blends together some classic elements of hip hop which is rooted deeply in rhyme and intricate use of sampling. 
Which shows in their recent visuals for their track called “Possible” which plays out like a back and forth conversation between the two artists. The visualizer showcases an intimate moment where the two artists interact, drawing the listener into their world. The concept of the video feels like eavesdropping on a private exchange between the two. Capturing a feeling of being on the outside, yet completely staying in the loop.

Check out IAMYOURLITTLEBROTHER Here:

All Stories

Story

TIKFAH'S ROAD TO SUCCESS

Tifkah, a Louisiana artist now based in Los Angeles, introduced herself to the world with her debut mixtape, "Say Red", released on October 22nd, 2024. The mixtape effortlessly blends upbeat, catchy melodies that pull you in from the very first track. Standout songs like “BLD” and “Louisiana (Intro)” highlight Tifkah’s unique style and her ability to deliver quality music. “BLD” features an infectious rhythm paired with her confident flow, while “Louisiana (Intro)” pays tribute to her Southern roots, seamlessly integrating a modern twist. With "Say Red", Tifkah is firmly establishing herself as an artist to watch. If this debut is any indication, she’s definitely one to keep an eye on in the future.

All Stories

Story

Doechii is everything the culture needs right now

Florida native Jaylah Hickmon also known as Doechii (26) is a musician signed to the notorious label Top Dawg Entertainment better known for its acronym T.D.E. Which has signed very popular artist such as SZA, Isaiah Rashad, (formally) Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Ray Vaughn just to name a few. And as the roster continues to grow, we see a new wave of artist with fresh approaches to the game. One of them being Doechii, she signed to the label in 2022. And has proven year after year that she has what it takes to elevate the culture. In a time where everyone is being put into a box she does "everything" sonically. As she states in her song Boom Bap "I am everything" and quite literally her music tends to break barriers of traditional rap or R&B per say all while remaining close to her roots. This is seen throughout Doechii's recent mixtape called Alligator Bites Never Heals.It feels authentic although there is not one set sound the genre blending is so seamless making it a cohesive body of work. Similar to an abstract painting the core essence of what music and art. And because of her authenticity and great storytelling I believe she will continue to receive a lot of accolades and essentially thrive in this current model of the music business.

All Stories

The Festival

Nicki Nicole Announces Herself in the Desert

Nicki Nicole — born Nicole Cucco — is a rapper, songwriter, and singer from Argentina, and this was her first time performing at Coachella.

Across both weekends, Nicole delivered an electrifying performance with a rhythmic, smooth delivery. Weekend two brought her own rendition of Eminem's classic "Lose Yourself," and the crowd loved every part of it — supporters at her set sang and danced along to each of their favorite songs.

Her Coachella debut only sets the stage for what's to come from one of the brightest artists on the rise.

All Stories

Story

Agender's Eccentric Album

Agender is a post-punk band featuring Romy Hoffman (vocals), Sara Rivas (synthesizer), Cristy Michel, and Christy Greenwood (drums). They recently released their third album, Berserk, which showcases unique textures and rhythmic dissonance. Berserk is not only refreshing to listen to, but also captivating, with tracks like "Life Is Acid" that make you want to move your body. It strikes a perfect balance between upbeat and syncopated rhythms. If you're into punk music, Berserk is definitely an album worth experiencing and diving into.

All Stories

Story

CultureCon In LA Presented By HBO Max

On Saturday, June 17th for the first time Culture Con LA is having their event at Rolling Greens Mateo in Downtown Los Angeles. The date was chosen to celebrate the Juneteenth weekend. The panelist included Victoria Monét, Coco Jones, Jay Pharoah, Sterling K. Brown, The Blackening cast and many more. The panelist went over their success as an artist, advice to the audience, and business structures. Culture-con also had a few special surprises such as a performance from Lakeyah, as she rapped "Mind Yo business. Which got the members of the audience hyped and out their seat. As she walked into the crowd for a more interactive experience. Overall, the event was a mix of being both entertaining and informative.

Click below for the recap:

All Stories

The Panel

Halle Bailey, in Conversation with Muni Long

Halle Bailey and Muni Long joined forces during Grammy weekend for a masterclass panel on their personal journeys and navigating the music industry.

Bailey spoke about auditioning for the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid — how nervous she was, given the sheer number of hopefuls auditioning at her center, and how she went through with it anyway. She recalled crying while singing, but the performance was so heartfelt that it moved the casting directors. A testament to the do-it-anyway mentality, and a role that fused her twin talents of singing and acting.

Bailey closed the panel singing with her guitarist — a beautiful way to end an impactful, informative conversation.

All Stories

Story

AG CLUB AT CAMP FLOG GNAW

The Ag Club is a music group formed in California. The club members include Jody Fontaine and Baby boy. In a recent interview they stated "everyones in the club" so as long as you rock with them you're apart of "the club".They were hype before their performance and seemed to be in good spirits. Which showed throughout their set as they rocked the stage with an electrifying stage set. From chanting crowds to multiple fan mosh pits. Their presence was could be felt throughout the venue and amongst onlookers.Overall, they are a group of musicians that I would definitely keep an eye out for. Due to their potential to shake the industry.Watch the recap video below:

All Stories

The Interview

Jean Dawson Doesn't Follow Rules

David Sanders, known by his stage name Jean Dawson, is a music mogul and rule breaker. Dawson's singular style and eye-catching music videos draw a diverse range of viewers and listeners around the world.

His recent music — like "3 Heads*" — carries an edgy yet melodic tone. Dawson says he's in his "rock era" now, though he started in rap because it was the "easiest breaking point" given the limited resources he had at the time. He keeps shifting and molding his style, proof of a versatility few artists can claim.

All Stories

Grammy Week

Teyana Taylor Hosts 'A Tribute to the Nominees' Pre-Grammy Celebration

Teyana Taylor kicked off Grammy week hosting 'A Tribute to the Nominees: A Pre-Grammy® Celebration,' presented by Devine Evans, Kristine Mirelle of Music Hustler, and Queens of The Underground.

The unforgettable evening at the historic Globe Theatre in Los Angeles ran from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1 — ahead of the "biggest night in music" that Sunday.

Attendees got a night filled with performances by rising hip-hop artist Elle E.D. and recording artist Josh Moreland, appearances from Keith Harris of the Keith Harris Experience with Tayler Green, networking opportunities, and several activations. Grammy-winning artist Estelle closed the festivities with an electric surprise performance. The red carpet drew appearances from Chaz Lamar Shepherd, reality TV star and actress Masika Kalysha, influencer Shantel Jackson, and many others.

A portion of ticket proceeds went to the Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club, funding music and arts programming for LA youth in collaboration with the Guitar Center Music Foundation.

All Stories

Story

Arin Ray Drops His Second Album "Hello Poison

Arin Ray, 26, singer-songwriter, has recently dropped his highly anticipated album Hello Poison via Interscope Records. With this new release, Ray continues to captivate listeners with his silky, groovy tone over laid-back drum patterns. Hello Poison features collaborations with Ari Lennox, D Smoke, VanJess, Blxst, Ty Dolla $ign, Rose Gold, and Childish Major. Ray has already proven his success, accumulating over 175 million streams in the U.S. alone with his previous album, Platinum Fire (2018), and his EP Phrases II (2019). Ray no signs of slowing down as hw continues to push boundaries and elevate his sound.

All Stories

Story

Artist To Know | Shenseea

Shenseea, formerly known as Chinsea Lee, is a 25-year-old Jamaican dancehall artist who has become one of the biggest names in the genre. Shenseea is most known for her catchy rhythms and high-energy music She even recently released her album ALPHA, which is gaining attention worldwide.Throughout her career, Shenseea has worked with major artists like Drake, 21 Savage, Kanye West (Ye), and Megan Thee Stallion. These collaborations have helped her gain recognition beyond the dancehall scene.Her latest music video for the song "R U That," featuring 21 Savage, has also been a hit, showcasing her unique style.Shenseea's growth and development as an artist is inspiring to see, proving she's a game-changer in the dancehall scene

All Stories

Story

Nia Sultana's Debut EP "Bigger Dreams

Nia Sultana is a alternative RnB singer and songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. Sultana has recently dropped her debut EP called Bigger Dreams via Interscope Records . The tracks are dreamy, mesmerizing, and melodic. Sultana's EP also features notable artist like Cheru Ecru and Rick Ross. Whom effortlessly compliment each other on Sultana's EP.

"Nia Sultana Ft. Rick Ross– Proven Video"

All Stories

Story

The Car Show At The Promised Land

Rap Star Energy, IHEARTRADIO, BigIndy, 105.3, and the Hip-Hop rapper Rick Ross are all coming together for an event called "The Promise Land Car & Bike Show." The show will take place in Fayetteville, GA on the 21st of May.At the show there will be a talent showcase where artist, dancers, comedians, and other talent will showcase their skills. At the end of the showcase the best performances will be able to compete in the Ultimate Performance. The best preformer will win endorsement opportunities, a large sum of money and a chance to headline at RapStar Energy's major events in the future. The car show will be hosted specifically by Rick Ross on his property in Georgia called "The Promised Land. " Ross's love for Bikes and cars exotic, vintage, and modern brought the dream the Car & Bike showcase to life.

All Stories

Story

7LA.RADIO | COACHELLA PLAYLIST

Come catch a vibe with 7LA.RADIO's new Coachella playlist. The playlist contains a mixture of genres for your ever-growing musical palette.
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cRhbq23QabghnJVfejexx?si=XL3dLbWWS1-W_wIkQEcTsQ>

All Stories

Story

Nicki Nicole At Coachella

Nicki Nicole formally known as Nicole Cucco is a 21 year old rapper, songwriter, and singer from Argentina. This was Nicole's first time preforming at Coachella starting weekend one of the music festival. On both weekends Nicole provided an electrifying performance with a rhythmic and smooth delivery. In addition to Nicole weekend two performance in which she provided her very own rendition of Eminem's classic song called "Lose Yourself". And the supporters seemed to love each part of the rendition. Nicole's supporters were at her set singing and dancing along to each of their favorite songs. Nicole's Coachella performances are only setting the stage to what is to come in the future of this bright artist.

All Stories

Story

NTWRK x Galore Pre-Party

What better way to start Coachella then a pre-party ?Yes, that's right. NTWRK and Galore threw a Coachella pre-party in Palms Springs, CA with an open bar. The party featured NYX glam stations where the onsite NYX makeup artist were available to create stunning festival makeup looks for attendees. The party also featured host Tyga (Rapper) who did a DJ set at the party and Actor Chloe Cherry (Euphoria).There was also an onsite Foot Locker pop up shops showcasing streetwear designers Melody Ehshani and Don C's latest collections.While vintage fashion designer Sean Weatherspoon also stopped by the party and went live via The NTWRK App. In order to showcase his latest collection called "Late Lunch". While rapper Freddie Gibbs and NTWRK had a logo ice cream truck set up satisfying enough for each sweet tooth. Overall the NTWRK and Galore Pre-party was one of the best ways to start Weekend 1 of Coachella. Due to its upbeat and energetic nature.

All Stories

Story

ROLLING STONES X META | ROLLING STONES LIVE

On Saturday April 16th Rolling Stone and Meta held an event surrounding Coachella called Rolling Stone Live.Rolling Stone Live featured musical performances from Grace Mackgan, BLXST, Carwash, James Hype and GRYFFIN with special guest DJ performances by Densine Love Hewett, and Tolula Adeyemi.
Live also featured eye catching photo installments by META formerly known as Facebook. While Lucky Brand and Get Stoned curated a tattoo and screen printing pop up shop for the attendees called "Fantastic Future".Live also included multiple open bar spaces from brands like Ciroc, Matua, and a pop up from Madre's Restaurant. All in the beautiful desert of Palm Springs , California.

Click below to watch the recap:

All Stories

Story

7LA.RADIO CHILL MIX VOL.1

Need something refreshing while stuck in traffic? Long day and need to chill out? Check out the 7LA.RADIO Playlist containing a mix of RNB, Contemporary, and Hip Hop Music.

<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4yhADFuSZPuYaqP78IkS3j?go=1&sp_cid=6776e4724e40483bdcbac10447ecd8b1&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop>

All Stories

Story

Coachella Weekend Parties | The Remezcla House

Coachella weekend one is underway which means a lot of Palm Spring parties! So we wanted to make sure that the "Remezcla House After Party" is on your Radar. The Remezcla House was was created to celebrate of the large amount Latinx representation and energy at this year's Coachella Festival. The Remecla House will be located at Palm Springs Air Museum, and is set to have special guest performances. So put on your best dancing shoes and get ready to party in the desert

RSVP HERE:

!<https://remezcla.com/>

All Stories

Events

ARE NFT FESTIVALS THE NEW WAVE ?

As Covid-19 cases have dropped and Los Angeles has almost came back to normal. I have seen a shift in concert culture. As more NFT concerts are starting to happen. Starting with Last weekend at TheWeatherFest.
TheWeatherFest was located at the Wisdome LA in Downtown Los Angeles. The Fest showcased artist such as Buddy, YG, Soulja Boy, Blondie Beach, Pedro and special guest Rae Sremmurd. The Fest was free for rsvp and V.I.P for NFT holders along with swag bags. The fest contained a very high artist production value all while making a pleasing experience to most. Which make me believe that NFT Festivals will change concert life as the way we know it for years to come.

All Stories

Event

ESSENCE HOLLYWOOD HOUSE : TO ALTADENA WITH LOVE

Essence Hollywood House is a dynamic space where like-minded creatives, artists, and professionals can come together to enhance their skills and knowledge in an ever-evolving industry. By connecting top-tier experts with aspiring artists, it creates a strong sense of community and belonging, reminding everyone that regardless of their background, they have an equal opportunity to succeed in the entertainment industry.
One example of this is the speed mentoring program, which gives aspiring artists the chance to learn directly from successful professionals. This program not only helps them grow but gives them the tools to fully express their creativity. Additionally, there will be a live workshop led by industry-leading film professionals, designed to teach actors essential skills needed to thrive on set. Beyond supporting individual growth, Essence Hollywood House also recognizes the importance of giving back to the community. The event shines a light on Altadena, a community deeply impacted by the wildfires in January 2025. Altadena has long been a vital hub for economic growth and creative collaboration within the Black professional community. To bring attention to this, one of the day’s panels, “Hollywood & Altadena: A Shared Legacy”, presented by AT&T Dream In Black, will explore the city’s significance and its strong connection to Hollywood. This is just one of many thought-provoking discussions taking place throughout the day.

All Stories

The Festival

Lil Wayne's UPROAR Fest Proves the Catalog Is Forever

Dwayne Carter Jr., better known as Lil Wayne, held his long-awaited hip-hop festival UPROAR in partnership with GKUA, Wayne's lifestyle brand.

The lineup included a dance competition and performances by Young Money, Polo G, and Latto. Wayne performed classic hits — "How To Love," "Bedrock," "Lollipop," "Mrs. Officer" — sending fans into a frenzy and showing the lasting impact his music holds. Throughout the night he kept returning to his supporters: "I wouldn't be sh*t without my fans."

The night closed with surprise sets from Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, and The Game, the mutual respect on stage unmistakable. Wayne's work ethic and accolades speak for themselves — you cannot mention hip-hop without mentioning Lil Wayne.

All Stories

Story

Artist On The Rise - BBY Kodie

Straight out of Houston, Texas, BBY Kodie has been making waves. BBY Kodie's rhythmic and catchy tunes make him hard to ignore. On his songs like “Milkshake'' sampled from Kelis 2003 hit song "Milkshake".He explores and defines his upbeat and dynamic flow as an artist. That same energy was seen during BBY Kodie's recent performance at the Regent Theatre. For The Zack Fox & Friends show on Saturday July 24th.BBYKODIE made the crowd go wild with every song.By moshing, moonwalking, and natural stage presence.If you ever catch him on your local line up go see for yourself. He is a definite artist to watch.

All Stories

Story

ARTIST ON THE RISE MUSTAFA

The 24 year old Toronto based artist " Mustafa The Poet" formally known as Mustafa Ahmed. Preformed his debut album "When Smoke Rises" released on May 28, 2021. At the Goya Studios in Hollywood, California. Mustafa's authentically rooted Islamic and Folk sound was sweet and melodic . Each song was poised with raw emotion. Which led into a cry mid performance. Mustafa stated "When Smoke Rises" ' is a "dedicated eulogy'' to his close friends that have passed away.His strength to evoke those reminiscent memories and feelings of his close friends carried throughout his performances. Mustafa's lyrics are relatable to anyone that has ever lost anyone close to them. Each word holds value. Mustafa's originality and uplifting tone makes his music compelling. In all Mustafa an artist to keep an eye out for.

On Air

7LA Radio

Conversations and mixes from the LA underground — the sound of the city, streaming on Spotify.

About TWS

An independent music & culture publication, born in Los Angeles

TWS covers the artists and moments shaping music culture from the ground up — live event coverage, artist interviews, festival reporting, and radio. Our lens is the LA underground and the culture the rest of the industry follows years too late.

Our coverage spans Grammy-week events, Coachella, festival launches, and one-on-one interviews with rising and established artists — documented in original video, photography, and writing.

Masthead · NA02—26 · New Understanding of Various Artists

Editor-in-ChiefRaven Curry
Video & PhotoTWS Studio
REFTWS-001 · LOS ANGELES
EST2020 — ∞

For publicists & press teams: TWS welcomes credential opportunities, interview requests, album premieres, and event coverage inquiries. Reach the press desk at raven.curry@7langes.la — we respond quickly and publish with original video coverage.