- Tonight, we're checking out a showcase that celebrates how wide the Minnesota music scene is.

Welcome to the Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in Minneapolis.

Let's go.

("Glorious" by Nur-D) (upbeat music) This building originally opened as a fire station on the outskirts of Minneapolis in the late 1800s.

Now it sits in the heart of the city right off of Lake Street.

This space has gone through many transformations.

It was once home to Patrick's Cabaret, the iconic, queer-led community arts space.

Now it's home to the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, the nonprofit that operates the Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge.

Throughout all of these changes one thing has remained the same: this space serves itself, Minneapolis community.

I think we all know, from the past couple of years, those community gathering spaces to chat with your neighbors to make art, to make music, are so important.

Tonight's showcase is a partnership with MNspin, a Hennepin County Library program that allows anyone to stream and download hundreds of songs by Minnesota artists, including the artists featured tonight.

Tonight's show is gonna be amazing and celebrates just how wide and diverse the Minnesota music scene is.

We have Gao Hong and Issam Rafea, master and award-winning Chinese pipa and Syrian oud players.

Everything they do is improvised.

I love that these ancient instruments with these centuries-old musical traditions are creating new music right now.

Also on the bill is War Bonnet, a Native American rock band from the Ojibwe reservations of Northern Minnesota who explore and reimagine ancestral sounds.

Closing things off is Nur-D, a self-proclaimed goofy nerd who writes hip-hop for anyone who's ever felt a little different.

And opening tonight's show we have Molly Maher, an Americana singer-songwriter whose music meets kind of at the intersection of folk, blues, rock and roll.

I think you're really gonna love this.

Please welcome to Stage Molly Maher.

(lighthearted music) ♪ Fox got a hole, bird has a nest ♪ ♪ Ain't got no home to lay my head ♪ ♪ River got the bank and Sands got the shore ♪ ♪ Ain't got a place in this world no more ♪ ♪ Bird fly south when the wind turns cold ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Bird fly high, bird fly low ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Rain has the cloud, cloud has the sky ♪ ♪ Ain't got no home to rest my mind ♪ ♪ Tears falling down in the cold dark rain ♪ ♪ Ain't got a place to ease my brain ♪ ♪ Bird fly south when the wind turns cold ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Bird fly high, bird fly low ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Dark fills the earth, black fills the sky ♪ ♪ Stick it out till the day I die ♪ ♪ Fox got a home, bird has a nest ♪ ♪ Ain't got no home to lay my head ♪ ♪ Bird fly south when the wind turns cold ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Bird fly high, bird fly low ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Bird fly south when the wind turns cold ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Bird fly high, bird fly low ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ ♪ Follow you wherever you go ♪ (crowd applauds) - Hi, Molly; it's so nice to meet you.

Thank you for being here tonight.

- Thanks for having me.

- Have you always been a songwriter?

- Yeah, I mean, when I approached music, when I was first coming up, it was through songwriting songs.

Yeah, definitely.

- Your newest album "Follow" I was really struck when I was listening to it, 'cause it opens with "Jango", which is this totally instrumental track; sounds like something out of like an old country Western movie.

And then you have other songs that are like "Bird Song" I think is one of my favorites.

But then "Find the Shepard", this is gonna sound kind of weird, but is it Shepard Road in Saint Paul?

- That was part of it.

It's spelled twice...

It's spelled differently, because Shepard Road was an inspiration for that song, but then shepherd as just a thought was also an inspiration.

So I let it kind of go both ways.

♪ Find the Shepard and follow his lead ♪ ♪ Drive all night just to keep on moving ♪ - I don't know, it sounds like that flow state of driving, like when you're on the road and you're zoned in.

The music was so...

There was so much ambience to it, and then you had songs that were so catchy and movement.

How do you keep your voice as a songwriter?

Because I'm really not one: I have no idea how you do this.

When you're writing in so many different styles.

- For me, we had started this record years before we released it, but it was gonna be a very different record.

After being in this business for a while and learning to trust your voice, I just had to say to myself, "You know what?

I'm gonna put that stuff down, start over, and just keep following whatever comes to us in whatever form that is" and I'm glad that I did.

- Tonight's showcase is in partnership with MNspin which you are a curator for.

Can you tell me more about your collaboration or your work as a curator?

- The diversity that we have here I think is great.

I know for me, as a roots Americana artist, it's really easy to stay in my lane.

And what I loved about being a curator was that I got to hear so many other types of music, and then just learning about all these different artists around the cities and the state.

And so, for me as a booker, it's really great, 'cause then I can start to draw on finding these other voices to bring to shows.

- It expands your network.

What's something that maybe people don't expect about the Minnesota music scene?

- What's been really interesting with what's happened with the shutdowns and the pandemics is now that music is being presented live again I'm starting to see a lot more genres cross-pollinated on bills.

And I think that's really important.

And I think as listeners and supporters of live music, I think the fans support that and like that.

And that's been something that I think is really unique to our city, and I'd like to see more of it.

- What was that first live show like, to come back after such a hiatus?

- It was strange.

I was very sore after.

- Really?

- The small muscles in my hands were sore, and I think from just gripping the guitar.

It was exhilarating, but actually what was more exhilarating was the rehearsal before the show.

That's where it really felt like, "Wow, it's been a long time since we've been away."

And to sit in the basement with my band and my friends and create these songs together, that's what really made me feel emotional.

When I got on stage finally to perform live, that was a lot of muscle memory even though it was a little outta shape, that just kind of came back.

But I think emotionally was that first rehearsal was when I realized, "Wow, it's been a long time" and "Wow, I really need this."

- Oh, that makes me emotional to...

I wasn't expecting I have to think about, 'cause it's that.

So when you're back with your people.

We're musicians but we're collaborative, and that's the beauty of what we do.

- High-functioning introverts.

- Yeah.

You do your show and you go home.

Molly, it's been so cool to talk to you, and I'm just like kind of geeking out that we met.

So thank you for taking the time to chat with me, and I'm excited to hear more.

- Thanks, Natalia.

I appreciate it.

(reminiscent music) ♪ There's a storm out on the Sea of Galilee ♪ ♪ Adam and the apple are the same damned things ♪ ♪ You always see 'em coming but you never see 'em go ♪ ♪ She's a stormcloud that just won't blow ♪ ♪ Stormcloud, stormcloud, you're full of rain ♪ ♪ You best give in 'cause she won't break ♪ ♪ Lightning strikes, thunder and it rolls ♪ ♪ She's a stormcloud that just won't blow ♪ ♪ She's all around just like a spinning wheel ♪ ♪ You best give in, 'cause man you won't win ♪ ♪ You're all tied up, you're all twisted up in knots ♪ ♪ She's a stormcloud that just won't stop ♪ ♪ One step closer you're caught in the rapture ♪ ♪ Where the earth will go dark and the moon spin faster ♪ ♪ Wind shifts, earth it'll shake ♪ ♪ She's a stormcloud just won't break ♪ ♪ You got yourself a tornado of a girl ♪ ♪ She got cows in her teeth, she got houses in her hair ♪ ♪ Twist and try you'll never break free ♪ ♪ She's bearing down dirty and mean ♪ (crowd cheers and applauds) - Thank you so much.

(tranquil music) - It is so nice to meet you both.

I've listened to a lot of your music, and I'm so excited to hear you tonight.

So how did you get connected?

How did you start playing together?

- Back to 2017, I was artist-in-residence in Carleton College.

- Before he left, I said, "Let's have time, play together."

So we went to the studio: just no talking, nothing, whole afternoon, we have our first CD.

That's what happened, so we kept our style.

Never talk, just play on the stage.

- So tell me about your instruments that you're holding.

- I'm holding this instrument called the pipa, P-I-P-A.

It's about 2000 years history in Chinese music.

- [Natalia] Wow!

- It's kind of like a lute.

And we... - We have the grandpa of the...

I mean, the plucked instruments.

So guitar, the pipa, so many from the barbat instruments.

Long time ago, it's like about 5000 years ago.

- Same family, yes.

- So is this an instrument pairing that is very common of the oud and pipa?

- Not really.

- Not really, but it's kind of similarity sound-wise.

And you can feel the history behind that.

Easily to connect.

And depends on the players as well, the background- - It's not about the instrument.

We could put two different instruments together, but really it's about who's playing it, how we can connect while we're playing.

And our music is never pre-written; it's all on the spot to improvise, composing on the spot.

- So I wanted to ask you about that, because I think that's crazy.

I'm a classical musician, but I'm a choral musician.

And when I see jazz pianists I'm sitting there like... - [Issam] What?

- And so when I was learning more about you and heard that everything is improvised.

What do rehearsals look like?

- We cannot rehearse any song for anything, only ideas.

Or we even cannot talk about idea.

Like we go on the stage, which is from the feelings.

And like people in the audience maybe give us a title, say, let's do a... - Oh, so cool!

- So we can talk before.

If we talk to each other, say, "Let's do this key, do this maqam," we feel that we're in a box.

But if we don't talk to each other, we listen to each other, we're more connected with the music and with the heart.

So basically, we're using music as a language to do a conversation.

- You can't tell, but my mouth is like dropped open as I'm hearing you do this.

My brain is like exploding right now.

I'm so excited to hear you play tonight.

I just think the coolest part is that you have this ancient instrument and the fact that every time you play you make new music.

- Yeah.

- I was joking, I said, "Every time is a world premiere; we cannot repeat it."

- Wow!

Oh my gosh!

You guys thank you so for this.

I can't wait to sit there and do this the whole time.

What an honor to get to chat with you and to hear you play tonight.

Thank you.

- Thank you for having us.

(stimulating music) (crowd applauds) - Next we have War Bonnet, a Native American rock band from the Ojibwe reservations of Northern Minnesota.

Their music explores and reinterprets ancestral sounds.

It is powerful stuff.

They talk about contemporary issues that Native communities are facing, and bring in the rhythms that you hear at a powwow and the stories of their people in a way that is powerful, moving and engaging.

Please welcome to the stage War Bonnet.

(mysterious music) (singer vocalizing) ♪ It is dawn ♪ ♪ And I am standing another day ♪ ♪ I await ♪ ♪ The mist to clear over the water ♪ ♪ It is dawn ♪ ♪ I take a drink ♪ ♪ Of the water from the cool creek ♪ ♪ The sun is the witness ♪ ♪ The wind the voice ♪ ♪ The smoke is the messenger ♪ ♪ I've made my choice ♪ (singer vocalizing) ♪ It is dawn ♪ ♪ And I am ready ♪ ♪ It is dawn ♪ ♪ And I am ready ♪ ♪ The sun is the witness ♪ ♪ The wind the voice ♪ ♪ The smoke is the messenger ♪ ♪ I've made my choice ♪ ♪ It is... ♪ ♪ ...dawn♪ (crowd applauds) - It is so nice to meet all of you, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me for a couple of minutes.

So how did the collaboration start?

- I guess it just developed from a thought.

And I just asked my buddy Tony back in about 2015/2016, "Hey, we should start this Native American rock band."

I'm really influenced by the traditional powwow sounds.

And being a musician, being a guitarist, being a drummer, I wanted to meld the two together to create a new genre and a new sound.

- And Leah, you joined the group a couple years ago.

- Well, I'm a recent addition, it's hard pinpoint exactly when I joined.

(Leah laughs) But after the pandemic started, Chaz reached out and sent me some tracks to write over.

And I just started from there writing lyric and melody, and creating vocal tracks over the instrumental parts that he sent me.

- So I'm curious about how you weave in you said these powwow sounds.

I'm a teacher, and I work at a school with a strong American Indian education program.

And they bring in musicians sometimes.

And the musicians they've brought in are usually folk artists, like a soloist playing an instrument, or somebody who crafts flutes and makes them.

So when I heard your music, my music educator brain was like, "Oh my gosh!"

Where does that part of the traditional music fit into rock music?

Where's the blend?

- I'm a traditional drummer.

I sing at powwows, and I live on a reservation, and I've been living there for about half my life.

So I've been around the traditional sounds of our Indigenous ancestors, and these songs are thousands of years old.

And I wanted to respect it but I didn't wanna disrespect it, but I wanted to in a sense honor it.

- This is really interesting.

Is it found in the rhythms that you use, or is it in the themes, in the lyrics, or in some of the singing?

Can you tell me more about that?

- I think it's in all of it.

We play in Native American scales.

We do utilize a lot of the powwow style drums, and you hear a lot of that in our music, incorporated into our music.

- With the Native American traditional music and rock music, a lot of it's rooted in the pentatonic major and minor scales, and so there's a real connection there.

So it's kind of real natural to combine the two.

- Interesting.

What's been the response in your communities with War Bonnet?

- We've surprisingly gotten very good response.

I mean, I'm surprised that we're standing in front of you today, that we're here, because when we first started it I never thought it was gonna go anywhere, I just thought it was gonna be a novelty, and that we wouldn't get any radio play, that nobody would listen to us or take us seriously.

But here we are today, and we're very fortunate, and that people are liking what we're doing.

And it's amazing and it's awesome to be here, to be played on the radio.

I never would've thought starting this band that we'd be in the position and where we're at today.

(somber music) ♪ Children of Mother Earth ♪ ♪ Pray for those with no guardian ♪ ♪ That together we may stand vigilant ♪ ♪ Against those who seek to harm them ♪ ♪ Pray for courage our spirits are enraged ♪ ♪ 'Cause this world has not changed ♪ ♪ We pray ♪ ♪ Let her go ♪ ♪ We pray ♪ ♪ Let her go ♪ - Your music tackles themes that are very complex, that are usually very painful.

What do you want your audiences to walk away with when they listen to your music?

- We wanna educate the listener, but we also want them to feel good, to feel proud, to feel the pride that we feel being Indigenous, being Native Americans, and that we want people to feel proud of who they are no matter what ethnic background they come from, what gender they want to claim, what religion.

Everything connects and everything goes together.

And we just want people to be themselves, but we also wanna bring that pride into who we are, who they are as people and to just recognize that.

- War Bonnet, I'm really excited for tonight and just to hear you.

I think, as a listener, the pride is so clear.

Thank you for talking with me and sharing a little bit of your time and your stories.

I really appreciate it.

- Thanks for having us.

- Thank you so much.

♪ Authorities do not listen families of the victims ♪ ♪ The laws are not protecting them ♪ ♪ Complications with jurisdictions ♪ ♪ Tribal Courts cannot prosecute ♪ ♪ Criminals let off without conviction ♪ ♪ Makes a target of Indigenous women ♪ ♪ We pray for the taken to survive what they endure ♪ ♪ And rise above the ashes into a bright future ♪ ♪ We pray they know they're not alone and are loved by all ♪ ♪ We pray for days filled with joy and light ♪ ♪ For that's what Mother Earth designed ♪ ♪ We pray people come forward ♪ ♪ Stand up for what is right ♪ ♪ We pray for all Mother's children ♪ ♪ To sleep safe each night ♪ ♪ Ikwe ♪ (audience applauds) - Closing out tonight's show is Nur-D, a self-proclaimed goofy nerd who writes hip-hop for anyone who's ever felt a little different.

I have to tell you his music is joyful and infectious.

And some of his songs... You know how artists have their catchphrase when they start singing like Jason Derulo?

His catchphrase is "I don't know have a catchphrase yet," which just tells you everything you need to know about his music.

You're gonna love this, and if you're not dancing, tell me your secret 'cause I don't know how you're doing it.

Please welcome to Stage Nur-D. (upbeat music) - What's up?

We out here with the Hook and Ladder.

Shout out to TPT.

We in the building.

It's your boy Nur-D, DJ Hayes on the ones and twos.

Yeah!

We 'bout to get it.

Here we go.

Here we go.

Here we go.

♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ Let's go, hey ♪ ♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ This is one of my good days ♪ ♪ One of the ones that I do believe ♪ ♪ Everything that she said to me ♪ ♪ Like every single time ♪ ♪ She said Nur-D you're super fine ♪ ♪ I looked into the mirror and I think she ♪ ♪ Might be kinda right 'cause I know ♪ ♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ This is one of my better days ♪ ♪ One of the times that I'm not gon' believe the lies ♪ ♪ Not gonna hide my hot self away ♪ ♪ Oh no 'cause we're going out ♪ ♪ And I'm looking fricken fresh for you no doubt ♪ ♪ I'm a hot beef, I'm a slick piece ♪ ♪ When you see me on the street take your phone out ♪ ♪ Because you know ♪ ♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ This is one of my best days ♪ ♪ Ixnay on that XL ♪ ♪ One more and it's checkmate ♪ ♪ I'm a about an eight, you like a ten ♪ ♪ And we're looking like a Ric Flair stable ♪ ♪ Soon as I am able ♪ ♪ Put you on the table ♪ ♪ Give you what you want ♪ ♪ Ima give you want you need ♪ ♪ When I'm feeling myself ♪ ♪ Maybe I can be the one you need ♪ ♪ Be the one you tell your friends about ♪ ♪ When we be hanging out on Becky's couch ♪ ♪ If it's the truth, it's not conceited ♪ ♪ They be nodding all their heads ♪ ♪ Because they all believe that ♪ ♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture, hey ♪ ♪ This is one of my bad days ♪ ♪ One of the ones where there's no one else ♪ ♪ One of the ones where I hate myself ♪ ♪ One of the times where I feel like I don't wanna try ♪ Everybody wherever you are, this one's for you, you ready?

♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ This is for you wherever you're at ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I look good, take my picture ♪ ♪ I look super hot right now girl ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ I'm too sexy in this shirt boy ♪ ♪ Take my picture ♪ ♪ Oh my God, I look good ♪ ♪ Take my picture, hey ♪ ♪ I'm sexy ♪ ♪ Stop, stop, stop ♪ We out here.

How y'all feeling today, tonight?

It's a nebulous time out here in the Hook and Ladder.

Make some noise.

(audience applauds) - First things first, I'm a huge fan.

I'm kind of freaking out right now.

You're so nice!

- It's fine.

So Nur-D.

Yes.

- DJ Hayes.

Yes.

- Question for you: your website says "Seventh favorite hip-hop star."

- Yes.

- Why seventh and who are the six before?

- Oh my goodness.

One of the things that I said when I first started doing this is I don't need to race to the top.

That's not my goal, 'cause everyone's like "Who's the first?

Who's the best, who's the best ever?"

I was like, "I wanna be in the top 10."

And seven, if you ask someone who's their seventh favorite hip-hop artist, no one's gonna fight you on it.

They might fight you who's the best, but like seventh, it's pretty like, "Oh yeah, no, it's about right."

But yes I do love being the seventh favorite hip-hop artist.

- So your music is so unapologetically joyful.

So I'm a teacher, and I always have a song of the day as kids walk in.

- Oh, nice.

- And "Take My Picture" has been the song of the day maybe more than three or four times.

- That's so sweet!

- Tell me about writing and bringing that joy into your music.

- It's so important I think when we're making stuff, that I wanna make something that not only I can listen to on tough times, even like "Take My Picture" for example is one of those things I put on in any type of mood, whether I'm happy or I need to get happy, and it can bring you up.

I wanna make music like that.

But I think making positive music, we found, especially in the last couple of years has been more about honesty and less about happiness, 'cause sometimes what's positive is to work through tougher emotions, work through harder stuff.

And when you do that you grow into your like smile, if that makes sense.

- It's kinda like your fan base grows with you, too, which is cool to see.

- When we started working on "38th and Chicago", that was a big part of it was that honesty I wanted to get across.

And I wanted to talk about that divide, whether it was with people who might be leaving, because I'm talking about more serious and introspective topics.

But then also people who were like "I like all the bubblegum love yourself stuff, but I'm not gonna listen to Nur-D, because I'm dealing with X, Y, and Z."

And just to be like, "Hey, I wanna make music for you, too."

I wanna make music for you as well.

And so if you feel like I haven't been serving you, if think for whatever reason that maybe I didn't care about this stuff or didn't care about these issues, I want to, A, apologize and let you know that that's not the case, and, B, make a commitment to just being more open about having those discussions in the future.

♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ Shout out to all my Slytherins in the building, the best house.

(laughs) Now you're gonna get some calls.

Here we go.

Hey!

♪ I'm not the king, no ♪ ♪ But I am close ♪ ♪ Call me the duke ♪ ♪ I'm dropping nukes, bombs ♪ ♪ Scorching the earth ♪ ♪ Bring the fire making it work ♪ ♪ Honey I'm worth, you know that I'm worth it ♪ ♪ A couple more ohs at the end of the check ♪ ♪ But like I'm not concerned, no, no ♪ ♪ I'll just keep paying my dues for the moment ♪ ♪ I know it's a matter of time ♪ ♪ I can just stay on my grind ♪ ♪ I just be keeping the stress out my melon ♪ ♪ If life gives me lemons I'm bringing in soda and lime ♪ ♪ Making a Sprite, how ♪ ♪ Like momma and daddy are pixies and baby is coming in 9♪ ♪ The magic is due to be birthed ♪ ♪ You should be on the alert ♪ ♪ You should be doing your dance ♪ ♪ And you know the one I'm talking 'bout ♪ ♪ The one that you did in the mirror ♪ ♪ Before you done came out ♪ ♪ The one that turned their heads around ♪ ♪ I know that I am oh yes ♪ ♪ I'm currently feeling myself ♪ ♪ 'Cause baby I love being me ♪ ♪ I do not feel the need to be acting like somebody else ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ But we celebrate ♪ ♪ We celebrate ♪ ♪ We celebrate ♪ ♪ I just think I got the fricken hang of this ♪ ♪ I don't need no permission to make music I like ♪ ♪ I rock 2XL because a large is too tight ♪ ♪ And my neighbors probably know my name because ♪ ♪ I'm doing it right, yeah ♪ ♪ I keep my eyes on the prize ♪ ♪ I'ma test myself, I'ma best myself ♪ ♪ I'ma swing from them lights ♪ ♪ I keep reaching new heights ♪ ♪ So incredible ain't no cape on my tights ♪ ♪ Nothing's holding me back ♪ ♪ Might make a dream come true ♪ ♪ Then I might make two ♪ ♪ And I might make two ♪ ♪ Tell 'em I'm ready, we're coming heavy ♪ ♪ I'm bringing a Coke and a smile ♪ ♪ And I'm wickedly clever ♪ ♪ Better than anything most of you people have seen ♪ ♪ In a while ♪ ♪ Sorry I'm just being honest ♪ ♪ I'm just aware that I got this ♪ ♪ Ironically I found out I was a prodigy ♪ ♪ Nobody stopped me at Modist ♪ ♪ Don't drink, still get turned up ♪ ♪ Left school, learned who I was ♪ ♪ Big boy with a heart and a curse to be longing ♪ ♪ For things that will make me famous ♪ ♪ It's really lucky I found those who loved me ♪ ♪ And showed me my worth was inherently perfect ♪ ♪ Get you a ticket ♪ ♪ Stream you a song ♪ ♪ And when you feel it you can sing along ♪ ♪ Say I'm on my way ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪ ♪ I'm on my way ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ Riding a wave ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ They gonna hate ♪ ♪ But we celebrate ♪ ♪ We celebrate ♪ ♪ We celebrate ♪ ♪ So high ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ I'm so high ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Let's go, let's go ♪ ♪ I'm so high ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio levio levio ♪ ♪ I'm so high ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ ♪ Levio levio leviosa ♪ (crowd applauds) (anthemic music) ♪ Zip tied in the backseat ♪ ♪ ACAB like a taxi ♪ ♪ Got no time to be pussy-footing ♪ ♪ But I whip out claws like Tabaxies ♪ ♪ I know haters be pissed off ♪ ♪ Talking all out their back cheeks ♪ ♪ If you got a problem it's Nur-D rocks ♪ ♪ And yo I don't care if you at me ♪ ♪ Got no time for no racists ♪ ♪ Got my blood from them slave ships ♪ ♪ Black and proud, we be wild and out ♪ ♪ We be fakin', no you can't fake this ♪ ♪ Muggles try but can't catch the beat ♪ ♪ Haters clapping on one and three ♪ ♪ But we gon' reign ♪ ♪ We breaking chains ♪ ♪ Just wait and see ♪ ♪ Just wait and see ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Another grandson of the island boy ♪ ♪ On my granddad ♪ ♪ Never gonna stop gonna hear my voice ♪ ♪ This ain't no tan ♪ ♪ This is my melanin ♪ ♪ Yes I be telling 'em ♪ ♪ Lovin' my skin for a minute ♪ ♪ I'ma revel in black don't crack ♪ ♪ Rap fricken heavenly yeah ♪ ♪ But I'm hot as hell ♪ ♪ I'm so goddamn pretty ♪ ♪ I can't help myself ♪ ♪ Put on for my city ♪ ♪ Black Boy ring that bell ♪ ♪ Sorry I'm not sorry ♪ ♪ We might crash your party ♪ ♪ My friends on Jabrai ♪ ♪ And it's challenge day ♪ ♪ I'm still on that wave ♪ ♪ Twelve can't bring me down ♪ ♪ Child get out my face ♪ ♪ Mind yo business ♪ ♪ We gon' win this ♪ ♪ We be royalty ♪ ♪ You know what I mean ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We won't change so don't ask us ♪ ♪ You will never get past us ♪ ♪ We gon' fight 'cause we has to ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We won't change so don't ask us ♪ ♪ We gon' fight 'cause we has to ♪ ♪ You will never get past us ♪ ♪ Shout it out to the rafters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ And we tell 'em like ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ Thinking I'm 'bout to stop ♪ ♪ How 'bout no way ♪ ♪ I'm so hot I could burn ♪ ♪ On a snow day ♪ ♪ If you rock with the cops ♪ ♪ You can go away ♪ ♪ Better watch how you talk ♪ ♪ You don't know me ♪ ♪ But I'm in your neighborhood, no ain't no make-believing ♪ ♪ Just might show up in your yard ♪ ♪ If we have trouble breathing ♪ ♪ 'Cause my grandma's mother's mother built ♪ ♪ This whole damn space ♪ ♪ Don't mistake me for somebody who don't know their place ♪ ♪ I am Black like the Nazarene ♪ ♪ Got a wide nose and everything ♪ ♪ Yeah my hair's nice and wooly ♪ ♪ Ain't run from bullies ♪ ♪ I rock my ebony ♪ ♪ Black like music that Elvis stole ♪ ♪ Black like country and rock and roll ♪ ♪ Black like all of them drums ♪ ♪ That rapa-pum-pum way down in soul ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ Mesa ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We won't change so don't ask us ♪ ♪ We gon' fight 'cause we has to ♪ ♪ You will never get past us ♪ ♪ Shout it out to the rafters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We won't change so don't ask us ♪ ♪ We gon' fight 'cause we has to ♪ ♪ You will never get past us ♪ ♪ Shout it out to the rafters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ We break chains of the masters ♪ ♪ And we tell 'em like ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ No you're not gonna ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ (crowd applauds) - So what is that collaboration like between the two of you when you're creating music?

- It's a lot of back and forth.

- It is a lot of back and forth.

I mean, generally, either he already has a beat picked out that he got elsewhere, or it's a beat that I had made, and then he writes to it and comes through.

And he usually has the whole song pretty much laid out in his head the way he wants it to be, where he wants layers and harmonies, and all that stuff.

And so then it's just kind of like on my end, it's more just working on the vocal production side of how do I make it sound the way it's sounding in your head?

- It's good to have someone who's gonna tell you something's wack or not, which I really appreciate.

- Which I will do.

- Because sometimes I'll just be in my own head, and I'll be like, "We're gonna do 19 layers."

- You'll be like I wrote the best song you've ever heard in your life and then we'll record it.

And I'll be like, "Maybe not."

- I'm gonna sing "ooh" 75 times, each one just a little bit different than the other.

And so that collaborative process, it's really good.

We have different life experiences.

We've grown up differently, some places really similarly, but to be able to bounce stuff off of each other, even more recently with stuff like "Just For Fun", some of the songs that we just sat in the studio and made right then and there.

- That was kind of a cool record, because we kind of made that up in a week.

Yeah.

- Wow!

- Let's have some fun.

- We had a bunch of pieces sitting around.

And we were like we have bits and pieces of all these songs and they're really good; we want people to hear 'em.

- Your music calls us to action, it calls us to awareness.

What do you want audiences to walk away with when they listen to your music?

- That you can be honestly and authentically yourself, even when it's not easy, even when the world might put pressure on you to act a certain type of way.

It's always worth it to be yourself.

B is that you're not alone in some of the things that you're feeling.

No matter how much it might be intense, know that there are other people who'd able to relate and be able to help you share that burden.

And then, finally, to have fun in every instance of your life.

Even in the sadness, even in the pain, try to find a way to grow and learn and change, and grab whatever positivity out of that you can, because that's life, that is what life is.

- Seriously, I'm geeking out.

This is awesome.

Thank you so much.

And I can't wait to just like groove tonight.

- It's gonna be so fun.

It's gonna be a blast.

This song's called "Glorious".

And when I say the word glorious we're gonna throw our hands up in the air.

You ready?

Here we go.

Here it is.

♪ Glorious ♪ That was close, here we go.

Now we're turning it up.

One, two, three.

♪ Glorious ♪ Ooh, one more time for you at home.

Are you ready?

One, two, three.

♪ Glorious ♪ Perfect.

Let's get it together.

♪ Ooh, got another jam yeah I know it ♪ ♪ Gonna lift up my hands, gonna show this ♪ ♪ Little light that I got out the book ♪ ♪ Yeah it's mine, take a look ♪ ♪ You can see if you focus ♪ ♪ Let it shine, let shine all day ♪ ♪ Brighter than the hate that's trynna get in my way ♪ ♪ Brighter than depression trynna get at my throat ♪ ♪ Yeah I think that's like the antidote ♪ ♪ I might mess around and get my name in the paper ♪ ♪ I don't want your chicken salad ♪ ♪ I need the flavor ♪ ♪ And my baby's gonna kiss a girl if she wanna ♪ ♪ I ain't really picking up on all of the drama ♪ ♪ My life is a movie and I just woke up ♪ ♪ All my friends are looking really hot and stuff ♪ ♪ And I hear the devil trynna call my bluff ♪ ♪ But he really ain't got enough ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ No I won't give in ♪ ♪ I won't give in ♪ ♪ No one's gonna take my crown ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna stop me now ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ Yeah I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ And we're gonna light this town ♪ ♪ Oh you're gonna see me now ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling good, great ♪ ♪ Better than I ever really could explain ♪ ♪ A couple years ago they didn't know my name ♪ ♪ And now they buying tickets just to see my face ♪ ♪ That is insane ♪ ♪ I can't believe that all you pretty people ♪ ♪ Even notice me ♪ ♪ I keep on being elevated constantly ♪ ♪ This got to be the reason that they told me ♪ ♪ I would feel when was living out my dream ♪ ♪ Thanking God every night ♪ ♪ I ain't stressing 'cause I still got all my life ♪ ♪ Making music for the people, they just might ♪ ♪ Turn this fricken city purple when I die ♪ ♪ Yeah it might glow if I write more ♪ ♪ Keepin' Minnesota nice but I fight for ♪ ♪ All the people who believed in what I'm dreaming ♪ ♪ I'ma do it, I'ma open up the door ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ No I won't give in ♪ ♪ I won't give in ♪ ♪ No one's gonna take my crown ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna stop me now ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ Yeah I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ Oh we're gonna light this town ♪ ♪ Oh you're gonna see me now ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling ♪ So grateful to be here tonight.

So many talented musicians.

It's so cool that we could just spend the time to show us the music that connects us.

That's what it's all about.

Bringing people together and it's beautiful.

And you know how that makes me feel?

I bet you can guess.

♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ No I won't give in ♪ ♪ I won't give in ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna take my crown ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna stop me now ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ ♪ Yeah I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ I'm 'bout to win ♪ ♪ And we're gonna light this town ♪ You ready?

One.

♪ 'Cause I'm feeling glorious ♪ (crowd cheers and applauds) See you out there.

♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ ♪ You ain't finna stop me ♪ - [Announcer] Funding for this program is supported in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, Jennine and John Speier and these Stage supporters.

(soft music)