Author: 2Blunt

The most romantic day of the year has come and gone, and both Boston and Providence were ready as ever to entertain couples and singles alike. With Valentine’s Day landing on a Saturday this year, it created the perfect setup for packed venues, high-energy performances, and memorable nights across New England. From live concerts to sold-out parties, the weekend delivered something for everyone looking to celebrate love—or simply enjoy the moment.

Miguel Brings the CAOS Tour to MGM Music Hall

One of the biggest highlights of the weekend was Miguel stopping at MGM Music Hall at Fenway as part of his CAOS Tour. The R&B sensation delivered a dazzling performance filled with stunning vocals, emotional storytelling, and visually striking stage design that elevated the entire experience.

Miguel performed a strong selection from his latest album CAOS, while also making sure to satisfy longtime fans with some of his highest-charting hits. The show felt like a celebration of his artistic evolution—marking roughly 15 years in the game while showing a willingness to take risks and create on his own terms.

The CAOS era shines a light on Miguel’s multicultural roots, incorporating Spanish language elements and sonic nods to Mexican guitar traditions. Much like the album itself, the performance felt intentionally chaotic yet deeply cohesive—raw, emotional, and authentic. Tracks like “New Martyrs (Ride 4 U)” gave listeners echoes of classics like “Sure Thing,” while songs such as “The Killing,” “Triggered,” and “Perderme” leaned into the rock-and-roll persona he’s developed over the years. It’s clear this chapter of Miguel’s career is less about chasing charts and more about artistic freedom—and the crowd responded to that energy all night long.

Kyle Richh Lights Up Providence

That same night, about 45 minutes down I-95, Kyle Richh brought his signature lover-boy/playboy energy to KulturePVD in Providence. The event, hosted by Vasjan—who recently became part owner of the venue—sold out quickly as fans traveled from across the region to party with representatives of the 41 movement. Oh yea, Tara pulled up too, the energy in the building was high! Fans joked that only Jenn Carter was missing to complete the full cypher moment.

The night highlighted how Providence continues to cement itself as a growing destination for live hip-hop events and nightlife experiences, drawing artists and audiences beyond the local scene.

Loe Shimmy Keeps Momentum Rolling

The weekend’s momentum actually began the night before with Loe Shimmy performing at The Strand Ballroom & Theatre. The show—organized with involvement from Platinum Entertainment Group alongside Vas—brought out a loyal crowd ready to hear both fan favorites and newer tracks.

Known as the Zombie Land president, Loe Shimmy gave fans a high-energy performance featuring cult favorites like “For Me” and newer bangers such as “3AM” and “Tubi Movie.” One standout element of his set was his connection with the audience; he made a point to jump into the crowd, creating a close, unforgettable experience for fans. That level of dedication reflects an artist who genuinely loves performing and appreciates his supporters. Following the show, Loe wasted no time, heading straight to Los Angeles to perform during NBA All-Star Weekend—a clear sign of his growing momentum on the national stage.

The 9 AM Banger Takes Over the Morning

Rounding out the holiday weekend was the wildly popular “9 AM Banger,” a daytime party concept that’s been making waves in cities across the country. On Valentine’s Day alone, the event ran simultaneously in both Boston—at Big Night Live—and Providence at The Strand.

Adding to the buzz, the 9 AM Banger reportedly hit six cities at once that Saturday, marking a major milestone for the growing event brand.

Love, Music, and Community

It’s refreshing to see so much happening on a day centered around love—not just romantic love, but love for music, community, and shared experiences. Whether you were single or boo’d up, the weekend offered plenty of options beyond a traditional date night.

From major tours to local showcases and innovative party concepts, both Boston and Providence continue to prove they’re thriving cultural hubs with something for every vibe. If this holiday weekend was any indication, the energy is only building as winter winds down and spring approaches.

The city scenes are alive, the artists are evolving, and the momentum is real. It’s dope to see—and it feels like things are only going up from here.

Visuals provided by: @ashtonlens and @ncouitt.media 📷📸

BRIDGEPORT, CT —Platinum Entertainment Music Group (Pent) and Big Mike the Ruler produced a star-studded, sold-out concert headlined by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie earlier this December at Total Mortgage Arena. The show drew a capacity crowd of 10,000 fans and delivered a high-energy performance that reinforced his lasting influence as one of New York’s premier hip-hop artists.

Every ticket to the Bridgeport venue was sold, turning the arena into a sea of fans hours before the Bronx native took the stage. The show was part of A Boogie’s ongoing run of arena dates and quickly became one of the most talked-about hip-hop events in Connecticut this year, fueled by a stacked lineup and a string of surprise guest appearances.

The night opened with performances from Babychiefdoit, J.I The Prince of N.Y, and Loe Shimmy, each bringing a distinct regional sound and warming up the crowd ahead of the main act.

Babychiefdoit kicked things off with sharp delivery and energetic stage presence, while J.I leaned into lyrical storytelling that resonated strongly with fans familiar with his New York roots.

Loe Shimmy followed, keeping the momentum high and setting the tone for what would become a marathon night of performances.

When A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie finally emerged, the arena erupted. Backed by booming bass and synchronized visuals, he ran through a setlist that blended chart-topping hits with deeper cuts, spanning multiple eras of his career. Fans rapped along word-for-word to classic tracks that helped define his rise, reaffirming his ability to connect with audiences beyond his hometown.

Midway through the set, the concert took a turn that elevated it from a standard tour stop to a full-scale hip-hop showcase. A Boogie began bringing out collaborators one by one, transforming the stage into a rotating platform for some of New York’s most talked-about artists.

Bay Swag was among the first surprise guests, energizing the crowd as he joined A Boogie for their collaborative records. Moments later, Cash Cobain — the Slizzy Gang president and founder — appeared, drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night. His presence signaled the growing influence of the Slizzy movement, which has become a defining force in the current New York sound.

Brooklyn rapper Lola Brooke followed, commanding the stage with her unmistakable voice and confident delivery. Her appearance added a powerful dynamic to the lineup and highlighted the increasing prominence of women in the hip-hop scene. The surprises continued when the full 41 squad joined A Boogie, packing the stage and turning the performance into a celebratory moment that blurred the line between concert and party.

The production matched the scale of the event. Large-scale LED screens, dramatic lighting changes, and coordinated crowd call-and-response moments amplified the energy inside the arena. Despite the size of the venue, the show maintained an intimate feel, with A Boogie frequently addressing the audience directly and acknowledging fans who have supported him throughout his career.

Security and venue staff reported no major incidents during the event, as the sold-out crowd exited the arena late Thursday night. Local businesses in the Bridgeport area also saw increased traffic, benefiting from the influx of concertgoers.

By the end of the night, the Dec. 12 show stood as a clear statement of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s continued relevance and star power. More than just a concert, the sold-out performance at Total Mortgage Arena served as a snapshot of modern New York hip-hop — collaborative, energetic, and capable of filling a 10,000-seat arena without leaving a single ticket unsold.

photo credit: @ashtonslens @noel_diaz 📸📷

The third annual Blaire B*tch Project took over City Hall Plaza this Halloween, continuing its mission “to spotlight high-profile independent female artists who embody unapologetic Black feminine energy.”

Founded by local organizer and artist manager Sadiq Ervin, the event marked a major step up from previous years, moving from the historic roller-skating rink Chez-Vous to the heart of downtown Boston. Ervin, who manages Boston artist KEI, said his vision has always been to create an outlet for women in hip-hop to showcase their talent and command the stage.

This year’s lineup reflected that mission, featuring a mix of Boston and New York talent. The show opened with Oompa, who not only performed but also hosted the evening, hyping up the crowd between sets. Following Oompa was Boston rapper Chelley Marie, who performed three songs to strong audience reactions. “Shout out to Blair Project! We are at City Hall wit it, Anycia is about to pop out and rock out,” Marie told the crowd before her set.

The event wasn’t without challenges. The scheduled headliner, rising Atlanta rapper Anycia, failed to appear, reportedly missing her flight. This marked the second time the artist canceled a Boston-area performance, leaving many fans disappointed.

Still, the show went on. New York-based rock group Mareko and the Slores brought high energy to the stage with a mix of electric guitars, drums, and powerful vocals. “We’re half from New York and half New Jersey — somewhere in the middle — and we’re on all streaming platforms,” Mareko told the audience.

The night’s momentum carried into the final performance by KEI, the Boston Music Awards 2025 nominee known for her unique hip-hop and rock fusion. Having performed alongside names like Rico Nasty and IDK, KEI’s high-energy set capped off the evening perfectly as fans danced in their Halloween costumes under the city lights.

Despite the setbacks, organizers and attendees agreed the night was a success. Local production team Enjoy the Thrill, who assisted in producing the show, worked behind the scenes to overcome logistical hurdles and keep the event running smoothly.

In its third year, The Blaire B*tch Project continues to grow in reach and reputation. With its focus on empowerment, authenticity, and community, the event has cemented itself as one of Boston’s most important platforms for independent women artists in hip-hop.

Images provided by Apertures Studio

Summer ‘25 may be winding down, but the city hasn’t stopped buzzing. From powerful panels to live shows and vibrant festivals, Boston’s cultural calendar has been packed with diversity, energy, and community spirit. Here’s a recap of some of the most notable events from the past few weeks:

Disrupt the Narrative

On August 21st, the Museum of Science hosted a unique installment of the Disrupt the Narrative series—an ongoing conversation on art and culture. Curated by Catherine Nakato and the mYouSeeEm team, the evening featured an intimate dialogue between Nakato and acclaimed actor/singer Rotimi. Together, they unpacked art, culture, and the importance of carving space for authentic, unapologetic storytelling.

Prison Reform Panel

That same week, Roxbury Community College became the stage for a powerful conversation on criminal justice reform. Organized by mayoral candidate Josh Kraft, the panel included Robert Kraft (New England Patriots owner) and rap star Meek Mill, who highlighted the work of the REFORM Alliance—a coalition co-founded by Robert Kraft, Meek Mill, JAY-Z, and others pushing for systemic change in America’s prison system.

Boston’s own Smoke Bulga (MMG) was also in attendance, standing alongside Meek Mill and showing love for both community and politics. Just weeks earlier, Bulga was spotted at a Roxbury brunch campaigning with Josh Kraft—proof of how hip-hop and civic engagement are increasingly intersecting.

Hunxho at Big Night Live

On August 24th, Big Night Live was packed wall-to-wall for a highly anticipated concert headlined by Hunxho with Jay Critch. Fans lined up around the block to see Hunxho, a Billboard-charting North Carolina rapper who, despite his low-key persona, commands a loyal following. Jay Critch brought his Brooklyn energy to the stage, hyping up the Boston crowd.

The show, produced by Platinum Ent, Cedar Tree Ent, and Vasjan, also spotlighted rising talent with openers like C4, Dee G A Money, Lyrriic, Grimey Gurt, Kam’ Geez, and more. Definitely one of the standout concerts of the summer.

Carnival

Of course, no Boston summer is complete without Carnival—the annual celebration of Caribbean culture, music, and unity. This year, the vibes were unmatched: vibrant colors, pulsating rhythms, and a spirit of togetherness that carried from J’Ouvert at 5 a.m. into the main festivities outside Grove Hall to Franklin Park.

The Haitian floats stood out this year, adding flavor and pride to an already electric atmosphere. Minimal violence, maximum joy—it was everything Carnival is meant to be.

Everybody Gotta Eat

Over in Cambridge, Everybody Gotta Eat returned with its 6th annual cookout. What began as a friendly competition among friends over who could cook the best has grown into a beloved community tradition. This year’s cookout delivered not only incredible food but also local vendors showcasing small businesses, making the event as much about community support as it is about good vibes and great bites.

Breezy Bowl XX

Closing out the month was one of the biggest events of the summer: Breezy Bowl XX at Fenway Park. Thousands of fans poured into the iconic stadium to see R&B superstar Chris Brown headline alongside Bryson Tiller and Summer Walker. The tour is a celebration of 20 years of Chris Brown. With Fenway as the backdrop, the night was nothing short of legendary—proving Boston can throw down with the best when it comes to star-studded live music.

Final Word

From panel discussions that challenge perspectives to concerts and festivals that unite the city, Boston has been alive with culture all summer long. If this season is any sign of what’s to come, the fall lineup is going to be just as unforgettable.

Photo Credit 📸: @exit_fame, @eventsbymk.films, @haitiansofboston, @missfreemarie 📸

Black people in Boston have been a trending topic on social media lately — and Summer ’25 is out to prove just how ethnic and cultural the city really is. Festivities have been popping up all over, and they’re giving nothing but CULTURE.
Sure, Boston is known for its championship sports teams and prestigious universities, but this summer has been a loud reminder: the city has serious cultural flavor.

Mayor Wu’s Summer Dance Party Series

We kicked off our mid-summer wrap-up with Mayor Michelle Wu’s Summer Dance Party Series on July 25th at Government Center, presented by the DJs of SILK. The night was filled with smooth R&B tracks, good vibes, and a crowd ready to groove.

The best part? It was free to the public, with food provided by the new Jamaican restaurant Blue Mountain. Love to see Mayor Wu showing support for live events and cultural happenings in the city. The second of the Summer Dance Party Series took place this past weekend on Aug 9th with an Island vibes theme. Local Afrobeats artist Odio and official Islndz Sounds artist Maura Delgado both performed.

Boston While Black Family Reunion

The very next day (July 26th), a few different events were going on in the city. The 5th Annual Boston While Black Family Reunion took over Lawn on D — and for the first time, expanded deeper into the Seaport District. Founder & CEO Sheena Collier continues to provide a safe, celebratory space for people of color to gather, connect, and enjoy Boston.

Food trucks and vendors held it down — including @everybodygotta_eat, @bostoncookiekitchen, @suyajoint, and @bibimboxtruck, just to name a few. The event was headlined by Roxbury native & Spelman grad Nay Speaks, delivering a standout performance. Major props to Sheena and her team for creating such a powerful community moment.

Black Market’s Summer of X Block Party

That same day, Nubian Square came alive with Black Market’s 5th Annual Summer of X Block Party. The lineup? Local acts Most High Kingdom (Najee Janey, Milkshaw Benedict, Sean Wire), DJ sets by Dee J Dex and Kool DJ Red Alert, and a headlining performance from Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, and the Get Fresh Crew.

It was amazing to see two unapologetically Black events happening at the same time in Boston — both pulling huge, energized crowds.

Kerm’s Day

Just a few miles away, also on July 26th, the guys from the Kerm’s Shop put together their 5th annual Kerm’s Day in Randolph, MA. The event took place at Randolph Middle School after a quick venue switch. Nonetheless, supporters, vendors and spectators from all over came to commune and be festive. The aim of the event is to celebrate life and to bring a safe place for families and friends to enjoy community.

Bentopia: The Day Party of the Summer

Fast forward to Sunday, August 3rd — the highly anticipated Bentopia went down at The Yard in Charlestown’s Hood Park. With a massive 2,000-person capacity, this was dubbed the biggest day party of the summer. Music was on lock with DJ Storm, DJ PapaDon, DJ TGIF, and of course DJ Real P. Boston’s movers and shakers came out dressed to impress — the vibes? Very vibey. Very cool. Very Black Boston.

Major Concerts Lighting Up the City

Boston has also been getting spoiled with big-name shows this summer:

• Tyler, The Creator – July 8 @ TD Garden
• Russ – July 18 @ Xfinity Center

• Davido – August 1 @ Agganis Arena
• Clipse (Let God Sort Them Out Tour) – August 3 @ Roadrunner

• Lil Wayne (Carter VI Tour w/ Belly Gang Kushington, French Montana, Tyga & more) – August 3 @ Xfinity Center, Mansfield

Crew Love Boston’s Annual Basketball Tournament

On August 9th, Crew Love Boston hosted their annual basketball tournament at Harambee Park. The matchups were Mattapan vs Hyde Park and Roxbury vs Dorchester — battling it out for bragging rights and the official Crew Love Trophy.

Each team was sponsored by Jaylen Brown’s 741 Performance, which was a huge look for the players and the community.

Hyde Park Day & Spark the Block

The very next day (August 10th), the city kept the momentum going:

• Hyde Park Day at Cleary Square brought together local vendors, residents, and community leaders for a neighborhood celebration.

• Meanwhile, Spark FM hosted their Spark the Block party — complete with food, drinks, vendors, live music, DJs, and performances. Big love to Ms. Hotsauce and her team for putting on another community gem.

Boston’s Cultural Meter Is Rising

From day parties to block parties, family reunions to live concerts, Boston’s mid-summer scene is proving that this city’s cultural pulse is stronger than ever.

It’s a blessing to witness. Who knows — maybe Boston is finally building that cultural rep. 😎

Photo Credit 📸 : @visitbostoncity @bostonwhileblack @mistersolutions @otgbillboards @blackmarket @zhanerenee1 @b.ent_ @russ @davido @clockworkmusicinc @2blunttv @741performance @hydeparkmainstreets 📸

Summer 25 starts off with a bang and it definitely brought the heat with it. With temperatures nearly hitting 100 degrees and the star power that came in the area, summer in MA started off hot.

The line up started on June 20th in Providence, RI where Vasjan and DJ Jukkes consistently throws great vibes with a celebrity walk throughs. This time around it was NARDO WICK at LoveraVIP and the place was on tilt! After popping a couple of bottles and vibing, NARDO WICK graced the stage by performing a couple of tracks and turnt the place up even more.
Shout out to everyone who came out and turned up. Salute to the opening acts too, some of them were really dope! Some of the openers included MIA SNOW, LIL EASTON, S-KO and more. Definitely a good night.

That same weekend NATALIE NUNN and the BADDIES came out to play at the Grand Boston! That event was also associated with Vajan but this time in partnership with Platinum Entertainment Group and Afrique Events.
NATALIE NUNN had the Boston baddies going up with her Zeus Network ladies. Lemuel Plummer, the owner of Zeus Network was in the spot too and performed a couple of tracks with NATALIE. We were able to catch up with NATALIE at the let out and she introduced us to baddies LO LONDAN and RELLA G. Check out the video on our ‘SHOWS’ tab.

On June 25th, SHAWNY BINLADIN was suppose to pull up to Sonia in Cambridge for an all ages event put together by SO TALENTED but the show was unfortunately cancelled. Big bummer because we’re pretty excited to see a whole lotta wickery. All good though because SO TALENTED made up for it a few days ago later with a show Friday night at the Middle East Nightclub. He had Chiraq’s young star CHUCKYY come out for what seemed to be a sold out show! We weren’t able to make it but it looked like a great time.

Another notable event that took place last week into the weekend was BAMSfest. BAMSfest is becoming a staple in the Boston community where people come to commune, network and be festive. It was a six day event with many performers including LALAH HATHAWAY, EDO G and LITTLE BROTHER. It’s nice to see the crew at BAMSfest going strong, this is their 3rd year at it and have been bringing the feel good communal vibe to city.

Honorable mention goes out to the big day party in Providence known as DAY TRILL which took place the weekend of June 28th and Vas’ second annual Waikiki Boat Cruise which took place on the same day.

It’s only the first week of July and the city is hot. It’ll only get more heated with these upcoming shows; G HERBRO at Centro Nightclub on 7.12, RUSS Into the W!ld Tour at Xfinity Center on 7.18, CASH COBAIN, BAY SWAG & LOUGOTCASH at the Palladium on 7.19, CLIPSE Let God Sort em Out Tour at Roadrunner Boston on 8.3 and many more! Stay posted on all our social to catch the latest and hottest updates in the city.

Photo credits: @vfmmedia @ashtonslens @focusin.gdg @mxv.visuals @uncannyeyemedia 📸🎥