Don’t call The Pull Up a “showcase.” Because you’ll be selling it short.
As the one-day event created by The New Era of New England (NEONE) gears up for its fourth installment this Thursday (September 27) at Sonia in Cambridge, Steven Foley of NEONE says that the term doesn’t do the carefully-curated show justice.
“We not only listen to the artist’s music, which obviously has to be good, but we also watch how they carry themselves and represent their brand,” Foley tells Vanyaland. “Being a great performer is key as well. The Pull Up isn’t a showcase — no knock to those — but we have set a precedent with past lineups and we will continue to select seasoned artists who can deeply connect with various audiences and keep them entertained for a period of time.”
This year, Dutch ReBelle, Nyce Franklyn, Patrick Michel, Cam Bells, TeeLuxe, Milkshaw Benedict, and Big Tunez all hop on the lineup to perform at this week at the Central Square venue.
In a similar fashion to last year, when The Pull Up teamed up with iZotope, the 2018 edition of the show is in partnership with both Dutch ReBelle and The Boston Foundation. The Pull Up will also host a pop-up shop by V2III Boutique out of Roslindale to support local businesses.
“This will be the first of a few shows that The Boston Foundation is supporting, and it really just adds another reputable organization to the mix,” Foley explains. “Like iZotope, who sponsored our last show, The Boston Foundation has been a major supporter for musicians throughout the city for years. Our missions of supporting the arts matched up quite well, so it was a perfect marriage.”
Much like many of the other events springing up around Boston that focus on representation, The Pull Up aims to bring equal musical opportunities to area rappers and hip-hop musicians. After three installments, Foley says that the effect continues to permeate throughout different levels of the community.
“It has been quite evident since our previous shows that various local promoters, companies, and artists themselves have been able to leverage our outspokenness to break down that door and demystify the stereotypes surrounding urban music,” he notes. “While we aren’t taking credit for the progress that has been made, we think every successful show that happens definitely plays a vital role in creating those ‘equal shots’ [in the scene].”
THE PULL UP:: Thursday, September 27 at Sonia, 10 Brookline St. in Cambridge, MA :: 8 p.m. 18-plus, $15 advance and $20 day of show :: Advance tickets :: Facebook event page
