Getting all members of Van Buren Records into one room is nothing shy of a miracle. Maybe that’s why any time the Brockton rap collective does successfully get together, what coalesces is modern rap magic. Lucky for Boston, it’s about to happen again.
These rising stars align on Friday (September 24) at The Paradise Rock Club, as the group takes their beats from Brockton to Boston, fresh off the release of their thundering EP BLACK WALL STREET.
Vanyaland first caught wind of the group in early 2019, thanks to an attention-grabbing, disgruntled tape named Fuck Jiles. In the time since, we’ve run no fewer than 20 articles about Van Buren Records and its myriad members and activities, documenting the group’s rapid takeover of the music scene in Greater Boston.
Their first album as a collective, released this spring, dabbled in the ultimate irony. Titled Bad For Press, the 13-track tape unleashed a deluge of press attention, which has already carried over for BLACK WALL STREET. Cue even more massive achievements: In recent months, Van Buren Records has become the face of New England music on Spotify (literally), modeled for Bodega and Nike, and netted a collab offer from Danny Brown. The group’s once hyper-local footprint has spread to the headphones of 145,000 monthly Spotify listeners (and counting). “Van Buren Worldwide” indeed.
Ahead of their show at The Paradise this week, Vanyaland asked a few members of Van Buren Records to look back at the first live show they ever attended, which span Mansfield to Massachusetts Avenue.
And remember: “Van Buren Worldwide” isn’t a catchphrase. It’s a mission statement. Just watch.
Luke Bar$
Must-hear release: 2020’s modern morality play GoodEvil
First show: “Lil Wayne and Rick Ross at Xfinity Center in 2011. Those guys are some of my favorite artists — [it’s] one of my favorite shows I’ve ever been to.”
Jiles
Key release: Fuck Jiles, one of Van Buren Record’s earliest releases
First show: “Back in 2013 at The Middle East in Cambridge for the Joey Bada$$ & Pro Era, [on the] Beast Coast tour. It also had Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers. They was touring their compilation tape P.E.E.P.: The aPROcalypse. I was about 18 at the time and a big fan of Pro Era, so it was only right I attend. I remember the show vividly because Capital Steez just passed away a couple months prior, and they ended their set playing his verse off ‘Like Water.’ [It] was definitely an emotional ending to a show.”
SAINT LYOR
Must-hear release: The brazen bounce of IF MY SINS COULD TALK, (2020)
First show: “I went to see Dave Chapelle at Radio City music Hall, because he turned down 50 million dollars and went to Africa, and I had to see him for myself.”
Invada
Must-hear release: BLACK WALL STREET standout ‘Cult’
First show: “Travis Scott at the House of Blues Boston in November 2015. I had just turned 16. Bryson Tiller and Skepta opened. Shit was fire because I ended up getting onstage during Travis’ set and front-flipping into a crowdsurf. I went because I had been fuckin’ wit Travis’ music for a minute and Rodeo sounded like a masterpiece so I had to see the show. Needless to say, I’m happy I went.”
Ricky Felix
Must-hear release: The twinkling production on 2020’s High End Theory
First show: “Saba, 2017. [I was] 18 years old at Brighton Music Hall. I went because Luke [Bar$] had a free ticket for me and I was a big fan of Saba at the time.”
VAN BUREN RECORDS + BORIROCK + YUNG TOWFU :: Friday, September 24 at the Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston, MA:: 7p.m., all ages, tickets are $20 :: XRP event page :: Advance tickets
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