Tampa was in a New York State of Mind last Sunday when giants of the hip-hop scene—Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and surviving members of De la Soul—took over the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino pool.

De la Soul plays Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 24., 2023. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Talib Kweli plays Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 24., 2023. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Wu-Tang Clan plays Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan, who plays Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Dec. 18., 2025. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Wu-Tang Clan plays Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Nasplays Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone
Credit: Photo by Phil DeSimone

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...