From selling fast food to car insurance, hip-hop’s fingerprints are on everything these days.
This year, we celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, and Delaware has a lot of connections to the culture. Names like Eminem, Drake and Beyoncé all have ties to the First State. But that’s not all.
Here are 50 hip-hop facts and figures that relate to the Small Wonder:
Eminem, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar & more tapped for Firefly
A lot of big rap performances have come to Delaware, and the biggest have been in The Woodlands of Dover at Firefly Music Festival, since it can hold 90,000 people.
Since the festival started in 2012, some notable hip-hop acts that performed at the event include Public Enemy, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, OutKast, Travis Scott, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Ludacris, Nelly, T-Pain, Westside Boogie, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Gucci Mane, Chance The Rapper, Action Bronson, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Busta Rhymes, A$AP Rocky and Run the Jewels.
Michael Jordan teams up with Eastside Golf co-founder from Wilmington
Earl A. Cooper of Wilmington is a top-ranked PGA golf instructor who is also the co-founder of the lifestyle clothing brand Eastside Golf, which has put an urban spin on golf wear. Late in 2022, Eastside Golf launched its second collaborative shoe with the Jordan Brand for the “Out of the Mud” collection. The name of the collection is based on a common hip-hop phrase that refers to someone starting from the dirt, or from humble beginnings. Eastside Golf was created by Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku, two Morehouse College alumni, with the intent to reach a younger generation, including folks who didn’t play golf. The pair hit a hole in one with Eastside Golf.
Nas puts Delaware on wax
Less than 10 seconds into his first verse on the 1996 single “Street Dreams,” Queens legend Nas name-drops First State, as he rhymes a tale about dealing drugs:
“My man put me up for the share One-fourth of a square Headed for Delaware, with one change of gear.”
Run DMC performs in Delaware
The legendary rap trio Run DMC gigged at Dickinson High School in Milltown in 1984. Nearly 20 years later, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group would become connected to Delaware in a much more significant way. But more on that in a bit.
Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar work with Adam Blackstone for Super Bowl halftime show
Adam Blackstone of Middletown has a knack for working Super Bowl halftime shows. He made rap history in 2022 as the musical director for the first hip-hop halftime show at the SB, for which he also played bass. The event featured Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent. The legendary performance won Blackstone an Emmy for Outstanding Music Direction.
He followed that up by serving as musical director for Rihanna’s halftime show in 2023, an event that generated a ton of buzz as the singer revealed she was pregnant with a second child during the show.
Beyoncé links with Ben Billions from Rehoboth
Producer Ben Billions lives in Miami, but Delaware is where he was born. He’s worked with a trove of artists including Beyoncé (“6 Inch”), Future (“Low Life”), The Weeknd (“Party Monster”) and on multiple DJ Khaled albums. Ben Billions (Ben Diel) grew up in Rehoboth Beach, one block away from producer Starrah, according to a Fader interview.
Drake, Young Thug work with Starrah from Rehoboth
As previously mentioned, the producer Brittany ”Starrah” Hazzard is also from Rehoboth Beach and her résumé is extensive, too. The producer co-wrote Meg Thee Stallion’s “Savage” remix that featured Beyoncé, which won a Grammy. She worked with other big names like Drake (“Fake Love”), Big Sean featuring Eminem (“No Favors”), plus Tory Lanez, Kevin Gates, Rihanna and more. Her vocals are featured on G-Eazy’s track “Order More,” which has over 66 million views on YouTube.
Eminem, DJ Khaled worked with Deborah Mannis-Gardner
When rap artists need to get samples cleared by the original owner of a song, they turn to Wilmington native Deborah Mannis-Gardner, who owns DMG Clearances, Inc. Dubbed by Forbes as “The Queen of Sample Clearance,” Mannis Gardner has worked with Eminem, Jay-Z, DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar and more.
Bethany Beach boxing promoter worked with Muhammad Ali
Renowned boxing promoter Butch Lewis, who had a home in Bethany Beach, worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Fraizer, Michael and Leon Spinx. In 2005, he launched his own independent record label named Voicez Music Group, a joint venture with the iconic hip-hop label Def Jam and Universal.
Lewis, born in Woodbury, New Jersey, died in 2011. He was 65. His high-profile funeral was held at the Chase Center in Wilmington and attended by actor Denzel Washington and boxer Mike Tyson, all according to the Associated Press and Lewis’ obituary at CongoFuneralHome.com.
Sap produced Nipsey Hustle, Meek Mill, Mac Miller
A laundry list of major rappers from Nas to Wiz Khalifa have worked with Newark producer Sap. His stage name is an acronym for Sound of a Pioneer. Sap (Jonathan King) produced a bunch of tunes including Mac Miller’s platinum-certified hit “Donald Trump,” the Nipsey Hustle banger “Victory Lap,” and Meek Mill’s “In My Bag.”
Delaware is linked to the phrase: ‘The roof is on fire’
Did you know the famous chant “the roof is on fire “likely was sparked by a rap song with a Delaware connection? That’s what AllHipHop.com co-founder Greg Watkins told The News Journal / Delaware Online. The song we’re discussing is an ’80s classic titled “The Roof is on Fire” by Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three.
Around 33 seconds into the rap song, Delaware is dissed in the most ’80s style:
“Now throw your hands in the air And wave ’em like you just don’t care And if you’re not a square from Delaware And you got on clean underwear And your momma ain’t on welfare Somebody say oh, yeah (oh, yeah).”
Near the end comes the famous line the “roof is on fire,” followed by another part that played a big role in popularizing the chant: “We don’t need no water, let the mother—- burn.”
Lil Nas is a fan of Townsend gamer SonicFox
“Old Town Road” rapper Lil Nas X is a fan of Delaware’s most popular furry: Dominique “SonicFox” McLean. Lil Nas posted a photo on Twitter with one of SonicFox’s plushie toys. SonicFox is one of the best pro fighting gamers of all time, and basically the Michael Jordan of the sport. The gamer is famous for wearing a fox outfit in tournaments. Last Oct. 24, SonicFox tweeted in all caps about meeting Lil Nas:
“OMG NOT ONLY DID LIL NAS X ACKNOWLEDGE ME MIDSET[.] BUT HE INVITED ME ON STAGE AND WE GOT PICTURES AND VIDEOS[.] IM BEAAAAMING[.] PLEASE SEND ME ANY AND ALL PHOTOS.”
Cardi B stripped at Gold Club in Wilmington
Prior to Cardi B becoming a world-renowned artist, the New York native was a stripper. She stopped stripping in 2015 and one of her final performances was at the Gold Club in Wilmington. It was a big full-circle moment when she returned to the city in 2019, this time as a Grammy-winning artist headlining a concert at the Chase Fieldhouse.
Ye attends Wilmington wedding
Back in 2014 when Ye was set to headline the Budweiser Made in America Festival in Philadelphia, the rapper attended a wedding ceremony for a family member at the University and Whist Club in Wilmington, sources told Delaware Online/The News Journal at that time. Ye attended the ceremony with his then-wife, Kim Kardashian, and 1-year-old daughter, North.
Pop Smoke, Beyoncé worked with Derrick Milano from Concord High
There’s a reason Billboard referred to Derrick Milano of Brandywine Hundred as “hip-hop’s favorite secret weapon.” In 2021, the songwriter won his first Grammy Award for also co-writing on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” remix featuring Beyoncé, which won Best Rap Song. The Concord High grad has worked with a bunch of other stars including Justin Bieber, Pop Smoke and Nicki Minaj.
Ashanti, Ye & Wiz Khalifa collaborated with Jet Phynx
Wilmington native Jet Phynx (Parris Duncan) is one of the few Delaware rappers featured on a song with Ye. More than just an emcee, Jet Phynx also is a top-notch videographer. He runs his independent production company Jet Phynx Films and has a Wilmington studio.
Jet Phynx has created music videos for lots of artists. He filmed rapper DJ Holiday’s video for “Stress,” which dropped in May. It includes OT Genasis and Firefly alum Wiz Khalifa.
He shot songstress Ashanti’s video for “Falling for You,” which dropped in October, racking up 5 million views on YouTube. Jet Phynx has worked with local artists such as Dover native Amillion The Poet, and Wilmington emcee Richard Raw.
The videographer launched the Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival last year, which returns to Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington on Aug. 12.
Ye’s ex-girlfriend is an alum of Caesar Rodney & University of Delaware
After separating from his then-wife Kim Kardashian, Ye popped up in the news with a new woman in 2022: Dover native Chaney Jones. Jones, who the internet says looks like a clone of Kim, graduated from Caesar Rodney High School and the University of Delaware. While Jones and Ye’s relationship didn’t last long, the rapper reportedly bought her a $275,000 Hermès Birkin bag from Privé Porter, according to the New York Post.
Beanie Sigel pictured by Arden photographer Joe del Tufo
Celebrity photographer Joe del Tufo of Arden had a special assignment at The Grand in Wilmington in 2012. He was tapped to create the album cover for Ye’s former Roc-A-Fella label mate, Philly legend Beanie Sigel, who was dropping the project “This Time.”
Beans, mentioned in the cult classic cartoon “The Boondocks,” ditched street wear for this photo shoot, wearing a suit with a fedora.
Del Tufo, who co-founded Moonloop Photography, got Beans to open up, snapping a picture of him holding an artificial rose in his mouth like a bullfighter. That image made it onto Beanie’s album artwork, overlaying a nighttime highway scene.
Cam’ron uses Delaware for a money flex
The co-host of the hot sports talk show “It Is What It Is” is also the same Dipset rapper who mentioned Delaware in his 2004 song “Bubble Music.” Cam’ron had this to say about the First State on the record:
“I got hella gear My earring is nice, the price: Three town homes in Delaware.“
Lil Baby, Faith Evans connected to Jakeem Smith of Dover
Not everyone can say their auntie married one of the greatest rappers of all time. Dover native Jakeem Smith is so close to R&B legend Faith Evans (who married rapper The Notorious B.I.G.) that he refers to her as an aunt.
Smith, who now lives in Atlanta, and Evans are both linked to the VH1 reality show “R&B Divas,” which started in 2012.
Smith, who runs the public relations firm Jay Productions, was personal assistant to Blackstone singer Nicci Gilbert when she starred on “R&B Divas” with Evans. The “I’ll Be Missing You” singer is in photos with Smith on his Instagram, including a video where she gives him a shout-out. These days, Smith wears many hats: event planner, photographer/videographer, working with Lil Baby, Rich Homie Quan and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, to name a few.
Ye’s dad went to University of Delaware
Ye (formerly Kanye West) is the son of Ray West, who attended the University of Delaware. The “Life of the Party” rapper seemingly inherited a bit of his outspoken personality from his dad. A moment that might’ve foreshadowed this is when Ray West was featured on the front page of The Review, the UD student newspaper, in April 1970.
The article, headlined “Blacks Liberate Lounge; Trabant Tried For Racism,” focused on how the elder West and 24 others took over a student lounge and held a mock trial, sentencing former UD President E.A. Trabant to death for “racism, lying, hypocrisy and stabbing people in the back.”
Nicki Minaj talks Delaware on ‘Beez in the Trap’
On Nicki Minaj’s 2012 song “Beez in the Trap,” she highlights a bunch of cities where she gets dough. Delaware was one of those places where she “beez” at:
“Ohio, Pittsburgh, got St. Louis on deck It’s Delaware, Connecticut, it’s New Jersey got hella bricks It’s Queens, Brooklyn, and yeah, they wildin’ Bronx, Harlem and Staten Island.”
A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Award Tour’ shows Delaware love
Once again, the First State makes a cameo in another song. This time it comes from A Tribe Called Quest on the 1993 tune “Award Tour,” which is likely a play on words for “a world tour.” Similar to “Beez in the Trap,” Delaware’s name is mentioned with other cities:
“We on award tour With Muhammad, my man Going each and every place with the mic in their hand Houston, Delaware, DC, Dallas.”
Megan Thee Stallion, Migos share bill with DJ Klive from Wilmington
DJ Klive (Keith Williams) is only 14, but he’s already performed on the same stage as heavy hitters like Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion and Migos.
The young turntablist from Wilmington shared the bill with those artists — along with DaBaby, Saweetie and Jeezy — all at Power 99’s Powerhouse hip-hop festival at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center in 2019.
This summer, DJ Klive is eyeing a mini tour with rapper Dylan “Young Dylan” Gilmer, star of Nickelodeon’s “Tyler Parry’s Young Dylan.”
Ye gigged at UD & Kahunaville
Ye is arguably the most famous rapper to gig in Delaware. In 2004, he performed at both the Bob Carpenter Center at UD and Kahunaville in Wilmington.
Jay-Z producer Young Guru is from Wilmington
Longtime Jay-Z engineer Young Guru (Gimel Keaton) is a Wilmington native who has been working with the Jiggaman since the late ’90s. Young Guru worked on at least 10 of Jay-Z’s albums, including “The Black Album” in 2003. In the song intro for “What More Can I Say,” Jay-Z addressed the engineer by name:
“Turn the music up / Turn me down Guru, let’s go gett’em again.”
DJ Jazzy Jeff won first hip-hop Grammy
One of the world’s most revered DJs lives in Bear. DJ Jazzy Jeff has crushed turntables since the 1980s, and he’s still in the trenches. His rise to fame began with Will Smith in their duo named DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. In 1989, the pair won hip-hop’s first-ever Grammy Award for their song “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” In 1992, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince won their second Grammy for their hit “Summertime.” The duo boycotted the Grammys that year over a lack of diversity in the nominations.
In honor of hip-hop’s birthday, DJ Jazzy Jeff will perform a “Mixtape Live” concert at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on June 17. The event features 50 rap acts from the ’70s-’90s like Kurtis Blow, Large Professor and Onyx.
DJ Sophia Rocks Madison Square Garden
In 2021, DJ Jazzy Jeff invited 15-year-old prodigy DJ Sophia Rocks (Sophia Clayton) and her family to his Bear home where she showed off her skills, impressing the Grammy-winning turntablist so much that he bubble-wrapped her.
A rising sophomore at Caesar Rodney High, DJ Sophia has done a bunch of celebrity events for artists including Chris Brown, Meek Mill, Dwayne Wade, Lil Kim, plus other big functions like New York Fashion Week.
The Dover resident has performed as a guest DJ for the New York Knicks at Madison Square 10 times, six of which were during this NBA season. This spring DJ Sophia Rocks worked Game 2, Round 2 at MSG when the Knicks played the Miami Heat.
Waka Flocka Flame concert goes viral in Dover
One of the craziest moments in Firefly history happened during rapper Waka Flocka Flame’s set in 2017. A sign language interpreter went viral for intensely gesturing her hands for fans, while Flocka rocked the stage. Holly Maniatty is the name of the interpreter and she’s gained attention over the years for charming crowds at other rap performances that include the Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg.
Mr. Wired Up racks up 1 million TikTok followers with crazy remixes
Whether he’s blending a song of the Wu-Tang Clan with The O’Jays or Lil Wayne with Creedence Clearwater Revival — Mr. Wired Up (Joe Zahn) has a habit of whipping up unconventional mashups on TikTok, for his 1 million fans. A chunk of the Wilmington DJ’s content features hip-hop remixes, including a banger he released this spring with The Notorious B.I.G. rapping over a Sublime track. His mashups are so infectious that ESPN reshared his content and Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. follows him on Instagram.
Glasgow High grads build empire with AllHipHop.com
Two Glasgow High graduates founded one of the longest-running platforms dedicated to covering hip-hop culture on the internet, birthing AllHipHop.com in 1998. CEOs “Grouchy” Greg Watkins and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur are behind the AHH site, which draws 4 million visitors monthly. AHH has been recognized by many artists, including Jay-Z.
The site was also named Best Hip Hop Online Site/App at the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2009. “We’ve been nominated almost every year [since],” Watkins said.
AllHipHop.com helps to solve Jam Master Jay’s death
When Run DMC’s Jam Master Jay was fatally shot in the head in New York in 2002, his death quickly turned into a cold case. But AllHipHop’s investigative journalism, spearheaded by co-founder Greg Watkins, played a significant role in helping the United States Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of New York charge two men in 2020 with Jam Master Jay’s death, almost 20 years later.
On May 30, Jay Bryant became the third person indicted on murder charges in this case, joining Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington.
Earlier this year, AllHipHop reported that the start date for the trial was delayed after one of the witnesses died.
Brizz Rawsteen is a major battle rapper
If you Google “Brizz Rawsteen,” you’ll find his rap battles on YouTube, which get millions of views. The Wilmington battle rapper is a fan favorite who has rocked stages on the industry’s biggest battle league: Ultimate Rap League (URL). Brizz has competed against some of the most beloved, including Tay Roc, Charlie Clips, Yung Ill and Arsonal.
One of Brizz’s most memorable moments was a few years ago during his battle with Arsonal when he spit a line about the Small Wonder, followed by a nostalgic reference to a popular video game series:
“My real name Brandon I’m the real thing, dammit You ain’t cut like me Yeah, I’m from Delaware Yeah, they well aware And I got [comrades] from Riverside to Belvedere, that’ll leave you burried there And I be everywhere [People] is Snakes in the game So we move with the Metal Gear.”
Yo Gotti signs first lady Lehla Samia
The first R&B singer that rapper Yo Gotti signed to his hip-hop label was New Castle native Lehla Samia. The “Call on Me” songstress signed to Gotti’s Collective Music Group label in 2022. Before inking the ideal, Lehla caught Gotti’s attention from the strong following she built on Instagram, and especially on TikTok, by doing remixes (“Lehmixes”) of popular songs. She currently has 1.4 million TikTok followers. This spring she dropped a new video for her song “Care.”
Rakeem Miles does song with Waka Flocca, Chad Hugo
Wilmington emcee Rakeem Miles is a Firefly alum who might be the only Delaware rapper to have performed on the TV network Adult Swim. The trippy artist dropped a dance track in 2021 with fellow Firefly artist Waka Flocka, produced by Neptunes star Chad Hugo.
Pusha T name-dropped Delaware
The Small Wonder got looped into another drug reference when Pusha T released “Numbers on the Boards” in 2013:
“Mix drug and show money, Biggs Burke on tour Twenty-five bricks, move work like chore Hit Delaware twice, needed 25 more.”
Cardi B’s old publicist is Patientce Foster from Wilmington
Wilmington celebrity publicist Patientce Foster used to have “WAP” rapper Cardi B as a client. The Concord High grad also was the creative director for the “WAP” music video. Foster has a clothing line named SuiteXVI. Before the pandemic, she ran the Wilmington salon Vixated.
Sukihana invades internet, ‘Love & Hip-Hop Miama’
Wilmington’s own Sukihana generated a buzz on the reality show “Love & Hip-Hop Miami.” She’s built a strong following of fans through her body-positive music that leaves nothing to the imagination. Her music videos have racked up millions of views with bops like “Born By the River” and “Sukisada,” both released less than a year ago.
Black Panther actress Dominique Thorne lives in Delaware
Superhero actress Dominique Thorne splits her time between Wakanda and her home in tiny Delaware.
The “Black Panther” franchise isn’t a rap film, but it impacted hip-hop culture, and vice versa. The franchise was inspired by African culture and took it mainstream, reaching just about every area of Black culture.
The first film in the series hit the ground running with Kendrick Lamar and Top Dog Entertainment CEO Anthony Tiffith producing and curating the soundtrack for the original movie.
Fresh off her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Thorne is set to bring her character Riri Williams to star in the “Ironheart” TV show on Disney+ this fall.
DaBaby gets doo-wop remixes from Freedom Young
Alfredo “Freedom Young” Austin has a thing for singing modern hip-hop songs with a doo-wop twist. His 500,000-plus followers on TikTok certainly agree. The Blue Hen and Newark native has covered lots of songs by artists such as DaBaby, Eminem and Pop Smoke. He even did a doo-wop cover of Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP.” Freedom Young is a masterful vocalist who joined the national-touring a cappella group Straight No Chaser in late 2022.
DSU alum Amillion The Poet created record label, bottled water
The 2018 Firefly alum Amillion The Poet (Amillion Mayfield) introduced his own bottled water, 1NA Alkaline Water, last year. The smooth Dover emcee, who tours internationally, is also an alum of CR High and Delaware State University. He makes the majority of his income from hip-hop, which he’s been doing for years. The hip-hop boss launched his 1NA Radio Show” on iHeart Radio, and he started his label 1NA Records, signing Wilmington artist Kason Miller. “1NA” is a play on words for “1 in Amillion.”
‘Love & Hip Hop’ taps Wilmington native
Wilmington native Anthony “Dupree” Walker is used to brushing shoulders with high-profile folks, because he’s worked behind the scenes on reality shows, especially on “Love & Hip Hop.”
During the pandemic, Walker worked as an associate producer for season 10 of “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta,” which premiered in summer 2021. Prior to that, he worked as a production assistant on “VH1 Family Reunion: Love & Hip-Hop Edition,” which also premiered in 2021.
The Atlanta transplant is also a singer. Walker, who performed on the same bill as rapper T-Pain, is a member of the R&B group Basic Black, which dropped a new album this year titled “Autograph.”
Cypher Clique is first Delaware rap group at Firefly
When Firefly launched its fourth festival in 2015, it invited Dover-based rap trio Cypher Clique to become the first rap group from Delaware to perform in The Woodlands.
Cypher Clique features Mike “Mic Anthony” Thomas and siblings Daryl “D-Major” James and Jamal “Relay” James. Over the yers, the trio has opened for a host of rappers like A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Wale, Meek Mill, Action Bronson and many others.
Wilmington Library brings Slick Rick, Grandmaster Flash, KRS-One
What other library can you think of that brings prominent figures from hip-hop culture to meet with the community in a free event? Wilmington Public Library is guilty of this. Over the last few years, they’ve brought in renowned guest speakers like Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Grandmaster Flash. This year alone they welcomed hip-hop icons KRS-One and Slick Rick. Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, was as a guest for the North Wilmington Branch Library’s reopening in April. The library has hosted these events for free to the Wilmington community, which is predominately Black, as a way to inspire them to reach their dreams.
DJ Hugh pumps up the 76ers
Basketball and hip-hop have been intertwined since the beginning. And Wilmington’s DJ Hugh, who grew up as a breakdancer, is continuing that special relationship as the arena DJ for the Philadelphia 76ers. DJ Hugh (Andrew Hugh) is responsible for the music and sound effects during Sixers games at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers hypeman is a longtime hip-hop head who used to bump The Fugees on the school bus in seventh grade. As a kid, he signed up for karate because he was inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan.
Donald Glover loves artwork from Wilmington artist Alim Smith
Wilmington artist Alim Smith creates a peculiar style of art that looks like a mix of Pablo Picasso meets Salvador Dali. This brand of Afro-surrealism landed him a job creating promo art for the fourth and final season of FX’s dramedy “Atlanta,” a show created by Donald Glover.
Glover is a fan of Smith’s style, and the promo art he created for “Atlanta” has appeared everywhere, including on print ads, digital previews on streaming services, billboards and above taxi cabs in major cities across the country in 2022. This Delaware connection has another layer to it as Donald Glover performed at Firefly under his rap alias, Childish Gambino, in 2014.
Go Vegan Philly injects hip-hop into menu
Hip-hop fans visiting Wilmington restaurant Go Vegan Philly will notice some of the menu items are named after rappers, such as the vegan fish cakes with cornbread (The Fresh Prince), the quinoa stir fry (Jazzy Jeff) and crispy oyster mushrooms served on long rolls (Eve). The restaurant, which serves some of the best cheesesteaks in Delaware, also has been supported by Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats, who has worked with stars like Drake, Prince and Future. Sean Thomas and Charmaine Quarles opened the Wilmington restaurant in 2020, after Thomas relocated from his previous location in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, which was named Best New Vegan Restaurant from the Philly Vegan Awards in 2019.
Richard Raw of Wilmington opens for Talib Kweli, KRS-One
The lyricist Richard Raw of Wilmington, frontman of the Word Warrior Band, has opened for rap legends such as Talib Kweli and KRS-One. This year during Black History Month, Raw did interviews with rap icon Slick Rick and activist Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey. In 2021, The Delaware Division of the Arts awarded Richard Raw an Individual Artist Fellowship grant. As a community activist on and off stage, Raw is a program director and facilitator for the Culture Restoration Project, a Wilmington nonprofit that has developed curriculum-based youth enrichment programs and coordinated arts and culture events in the city.
Travis Scott opened for Machine Gun Kelly in Wilmington
These days, Travis Scott is a festival headliner who is romantically linked to Kylie Jenner. But before his career blew up, he opened for Machine Gun Kelly in the Foxtail Festival in Wilmington in 2013. Ironically, both artists would flip-flop roles when they played at Firefly. Travis headlined Firefly in 2019, followed by MGK who played on the smaller Wonder Stage in 2021.
Joe Biden gets endorsement from battle rappers
A month before the presidential election in 2020, popular URL battle rappers Charlie Clips and DNA appeared in a Biden-sponsored endorsement video for the would-be president. In the video, which was uploaded to Biden’s official YouTube channel, the emcees were playing basketball and then broke out into a battle rap about why Donald Trump didn’t deserve their ballot. It was pretty random.
Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal contributed to this story (rcormier@delawareonline.com).
If there’s a hip-hop fact or artist we missed, or if you have an interesting story idea, please email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.
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