If you’ve participated in the Tampa Bay hip-hop scene for any part of the last two decades, then you’ve inevitably crossed paths with Aych (pronounced like the letter “H”). The MC, promoter and rap scene staple has organized one of the city’s longest-running cyphers, and in September he’s embarking on one of his most ambitious projects to date.
Together with another Tampa hip-hop totem and one of the Bay area’s most legendary radio personalities, Buckwheat, Aych has blocked off September 12-15 for Loud On Seventh, an Ybor City festival that will feature concerts, parties, art shows, showcases, networking events, panel discussions and more.
Live hip-hop aficionados will be glad to see Philadelphia rap icon Beanie Sigel and Atlantic Records signee Snow Tha Product booked to headline Crowbar on September 13 and September 14, respectively. Fans of actors Crystal Smith (aka VVS) and St. Petersburg’s own J. Hires should be intrigued by Cuban Club bookings that find them making their Bay area debuts behind a microphone instead of onscreen. Chicagoland rapper Mr. Unknown is also on the bill.
Local artists included in the first-wave lineup include Bay area favorites like Charli Funk, Fre$h P, C-Rena and Dabron Kain. A new Tampa singer-songwriter, Dee Baby, is also among the Loud on Seventh bookings representing for the Bay area.
"We want to celebrate our local talent and have fun while doing it,” Aych told CL.
Ten venues — including the aforementioned Crowbar and Cuban Club, plus Prana, Double Decker, 5 Star Dive Bar, The Bricks, Club Skye, Lion’s Den, New York New York Pizza and Zydeco Brew Werks — will all host Loud On Seventh concerts, showcases, panels, art shows, fashion exhibits and day parties.
Close to two dozen events are set to happen as a part of Loud On Seventh, and a daily “Loud Pass” starts at $150 (a weekend “Loud Pass” is $400). Standalone tickets to the Snow Tha Product concert are just $30, and Aych told CL that standalone tickets to certain events will only cost $15-$30. More information is at loudon7th.com.
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This article appears in Sep 12-19, 2019.