Art Basel is returning to Miami this weekend (December 6-8) with the largest number of new exhibitors in a decade. And while the art fair’s purpose is to show painters, sculptors, and artists’ works, in recent years, it’s also become a major draw for musical events and concerts. A diverse array of musical talents will also descend on the city, with a wide variety of genres and recording artists to hear and see. Here are just a few of the events worth checking out for music lovers at Art Basel Miami 2024.
Chance the Rapper — Writings On The Wall: A Star Line Listening Experience
Chance has been promoting his new album Star Line for some time, releasing both loose tracks from the project and his “Writing Exercise” freestyles as he hosts listening experiences like this. Since art is so intrinsically tied to the themes of the album, he’s hosting a literal gallery where fans can take in both the Windy City MC’s new album and the art that’s inspired him during its recording. The exhibition runs at Wynwood Studios runs from December 3 through 6. You can get tickets and more info here.
Fatboy Slim Live At Hyde Beach
I see you, baby. You can see the Big Beat DJ live at the SLS South Beach on December 6 from day-to-night. He’s taking over the hotel’s poolside venue, Hyde Beach, spinning his classics for fans looking to hang by the water without getting sand everywhere. You can find tickets and more info here.
Helado Negro — Live At ZeyZey
Genre-defying musician Helado Negro is South Florida born and raised, so you could consider his performance at ZeyZey a hometown show of sorts. The performance is in support of his new album Phasor, which came out earlier this year via 4AD. The album’s synthesizer-heavy avant-pop was critically hailed on its release, and if you missed his tour this spring, the show on Wednesday, December 4 will be a second chance to experience it live. You can find more info here.
Kaytranada & Shaboozey — DAR MIAMI 1446 at Maydān
The Moroccan restaurant hosts an immersive dining and art experience for Capitol One cardholders, with curated dinners hosted by artist Hassan Hajjaj and afterparty entertainment provided by Kaytranada and Shaboozey. Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee-Wee) will also play a set. You can find more info here.
Lil Wayne — Live At E11EVEN
The multilevel downtown nightclub will be hosting performances all week in honor of Art Basel, with a DJ set by Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee-Wee) on Wednesday the 4th, a headlining performance by 50 Cent on Thursday the 5th, a DJ set by Steve Aoki on Friday the 6th, and Lil Wayne bringing it all home on Saturday the 7th. The club is also hosting a golf tournament at nearby Normany Shores Golf Club and a racy fashion show courtesy of The Black Tape Project. You can mind more info here.
When we think of an overnight success, TikTok takeovers and viral dance videos come to mind. Country breakout Dasha has those — her breakup banger “Austin” put everyone’s For You Page in a chokehold just a few months ago — but her chart-topping ascension has a few plot twists you might not expect.
In the latest episode of How I Blew Up, the California native and Nashville transplant maps out her weird and winding journey to the stage. It’s a story that starts with a childhood poetry contest entry before getting sidetracked by a pandemic, a genre switch-up, and a messy ex.
“It’s always been about songwriting for me,” she says, “It’s always been about three chords and the truth.”
Learning guitar at a young age, studying everything from opera to improv, Dasha’s endgame has always been music, but when Covid hit in 2020, she dropped oout of college, ditching the Zoom classes she’d been taking as a songwriting major to get some more real life experience. In LA, she was labeled a pop star, a designation that just didn’t sit right with her lyrical soul. “I felt almost icky,” she recalls of dropping her first album, an alt-pop entry that dropped in early 2023. “This is not me. I’m going back to my roots. I’m going back to country music.”
A genre switch, a cross-country move, and one masterfully-planned social media roll-out later, Dasha is now gracing late night talk shows and performing at music festivals like Austin City Limits. Raw, vulnerable, and fearless in her songwriting, her debut country album, What Happens Now, effortlessly blends her natural talent for penning a killer hooks with playful melodies that merge her two worlds, creating a brand of contemporary country that could convince almost anyone to dust off their boots and attempt her TikTok patented line dance.
Check out the full video above for more of Dasha’s story.
If you’ve graduated from a HBCU or visited a campus during its annual homecoming celebrations, it’s apparent that music is a significant part of HBCU culture, specifically the football game’s halftime marching band performance. A seemingly endless catalog of genres — including hip-hop, gospel, R&B, pop, and soul — is transformed into a melodic mashup that captivates the crowd almost more than the game itself.
The camaraderie among other dedicated fans in the audience is the best part of the game, from listening to the commentator’s playful remarks, to watching the majorettes perform their thoroughly practiced choreography, to enjoying the band’s funky routine that complements their euphoric sound. It’s an unmatched tradition that you can’t experience anywhere but at an HBCU football stadium.
For the marching band members, these pivotal moments inspire them to mingle music into their lives after graduation.
Raised in a family of musicians, Morgan State University graduate Malik Freeman already had the influence and willful determination to pursue the marching band at Morgan State. While Freeman and I discussed Drumline, the 2002 coming-of-age dramedy starring Nick Cannon, he mentioned that this film was a pivotal inspiration for joining a collegiate marching band.
According to Freeman, the culture of an all-Black school and competitive nature between the rival bands were accurately portrayed in the movie and led him to “wanting to be a part of that,” and it happened throughout his journey as a tenor drummer.
“It wasn’t really that dramatized, but it was like the closest thing you can get when it comes to HBCUs –- the [fraternity] organizations, the band, and the music organizations that they represented in that movie,” he said.
After graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in music education, Freeman’s connection with an old friend led to an opportunity to advance his talent in a different setting.
“[Marching band] is embedded into my DNA and my life at this point, because this year, I’m running my elementary school’s bucket drumming club,” he said. “I got this plan to put on performances and really work with these kids. I’m gonna create some cool stuff.”
In addition to teaching, Freeman is also DJing, consuming more music history, and playing in a heavy alternative band.
The former-marching-band-member-to-teacher pipeline is more common than you’d think. For example, Spelman College graduate Dianna Sanders cherishes her time as a trombone player with the members of Morehouse College’s House Of Funk, and it influences her today as a teaching assistant at Florida Atlantic University.
Sanders frequently “refers back to [her] roots from marching band at Morehouse College,” so she acknowledges that there are some clear differences between the musical style at HBCUs in comparison to her current work environment.
“[Florida Atlantic University] plays similar music because we’re a South Florida school, they’re very cultured down there,” she said. “We do play HBCU-style music in the stands, but there’s just some things I simply cannot teach them. I’m always making comparisons in my head, like there’s just something each band does better than each other, but that’s the beauty of music overall.”
During my junior year at Florida A&M University –- one of the state’s two historically Black colleges -– I enrolled in a jazz history course taught by Professor Lindsey Sarjeant. The syllabus for the semester-long class detailed the development of jazz music throughout the 19th century, and it indirectly revealed the thorough preservation of Black music that occurs at HBCUs.
Beyond this course, Sarjeant’s notability in Tallahassee arises from his work as the chief band arranger for the incomparable Marching 100, FAMU’s collegiate marching band that has accrued global praise for performances like the 2007 Super Bowl Halftime Show and the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Show in Paris.
The incomparable high-energy sound that separates HBCUs and predominantly white institutions is a result of the late Dr. William P. Foster. In 1946, he was hired as the director of bands at Florida A&M University and founded the Marching 100, and his innovative contributions revolutionized all marching bands. Any viral performance that includes a modern hip-hop or R&B song is more than likely a result of Foster’s advocacy.
Interacting with a professor like Sarjeant or Foster is a testament to investing in blossoming students and historically Black music programs. Whether it’s their intention or not, a syllabus with a history of jazz, ranging from the Harlem Renaissance to the evolution of modern music, is a key factor in preserving Black history.
Like Sanders and Freeman, Alabama State University alum Ayana Cummings pursued a career in music education after marching band. Even though her mother and high school band director piqued her interest in attending Alabama State University, her musical influences derived from a drum set that her six-year-old self received for Christmas, as well as middle school and high school band.
In college, her degree focused on percussion and music composition, and her hard work in the band led to an achievement as her alma mater’s first female percussion section leader.
“All the knowledge that I have about music came through my degree in performance, as well as actually performing, and I’m able to use that to navigate through the education world,” she said. “I was percussion section leader [in college] — you’re doing a lot of teaching and a lot of explaining, and you’re responsible for a lot of people and your peers, so all of that really helped me to be comfortable in the education world.”
But what happens after graduation, when a background in marching band isn’t paired with an interest in teaching? As Freeman mentioned, it’s a disservice to not fully immerse yourself in music history, at least one post-graduate visit to homecoming, and a casual jam session with fellow musicians. My own involvement in college radio led to my interest in DJing, and the graduates I spoke to shared their future plans for film scoring, music supervision, and production.
For Edwin Mompremier, a fellow graduate from Florida A&M University, his participation in the university’s jazz band and symphonic band opened up different opportunities to perform live music in Tallahassee.
“While I was marching, I was still doing other gigs,” he said. “It ranged from being at church to playing at shows, but my first real break came when I started playing with Tallahassee Nights Live [a local jazz ensemble], and that’s when I got more exposure, met some more people, and got involved in the music scene a little bit more.”
These are just a few of the stories that demonstrate how the longstanding marching band tradition at HBCUs doesn’t just set Black college bands apart: It also keeps history alive and prepares students for greater opportunities when they graduate.
A recent phone call has Todd White’s head spinning.
“I just had a call today and learned that I need to put together a mood board for a music video that, potentially, has 16–20 looks,” he says, shocked, over the call. “I’ve never done anything like that before.” As if that’s not wild enough, the tight timeline to which he potentially has to adhere makes it even scarier. “You get these calls sometimes where you have 48 hours to pull something like this together.”
Easy-peasy — at least for a stylist and costume designer of White’s caliber. He’s an industry heavyweight, a creative director who’s been tapped by rap’s leading women like Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and Coi Leray to curate the iconic looks you see get tens and thousands of likes on social media. No matter whether they’re shutting down the red carpet, gracing the cover of a magazine, or filming a leading commercial, White’s fingerprints can be found all over their fittings —- and he’s just getting started.
It all came from sending one direct message in 2017 that changed his life forever. “I always say yikes because I feel like without that moment I wouldn’t be here,” he says. “I’m so grateful that I just took that chance.”
White didn’t just wake up a few years ago and say, “I want to be a stylist.” Since he was a kid in Cincinnati, he had a serious love for all things fashion. “I’ve always been attracted to art in general, but specifically fashion just because of the glam of it all, luxury designers, and the celebrity aspect.” When he turned 16, he decided to pursue it after graduating from high school.
Getty Image
That’d lead him to Kent State to study fashion merchandising. While he was there, he became even more immersed in fashion, with a job at Forever 21 inspiring him to focus on women’s fashion design. White collaborated with a friend around this time, who studied photography, to create Fashion Haus — a showcase for their creative direction skills. “I kind of came up with this idea with my photographer friend at the time for how we can practice for the future,” says White. “The idea was, I’d style, he’ll shoot, and we’ll come up with concepts for people who want to build a portfolio for modeling or if someone has a brand, and they need some sort of creative concept for an upcoming release.”
At the same time that White was waist deep in preparation for his fashion career, Megan Thee Stallion was exploding onto the rap scene after making “The Houston Cypher” her bitch and dropping her debut EP Make It Hot in 2017. Her aura and lyricism were unmatched. Anybody who was anybody knew that she was next up. White discovered her music around this time and instantly became a fan. Wanting to become a part of her story, he decided to shoot his shot and hop into her Instagram DMs with a proposition.
“I got hip to her music and was really inspired by her,” he says. “One late night, I just randomly decided that I would DM her and see about the possibility of styling her for upcoming shows and projects.” Not anticipating a response, he was shocked when she got back to him pretty quickly. “I can’t remember if it was the next morning or a few hours later, but I know it didn’t take that long,” he recalls. “This was a time when she only had about a hundred thousand followers.”
After that message, he linked up with her a few weeks later. “We met in New York while I was there for fashion week,” he explains. “She had a show, so we connected and vibed. We really hit it off. After that, I would meet her in other cities to dress her or at least help with whatever she would wear.”
As Megan grew in popularity and people started to see her as a fashion icon, White’s styling work got its share of the spotlight. “Our work during that era was huge because of the mega star that she’s turned into,” he says. “That opened up doors for me to get other people’s attention.”
Those “other people” are some of the biggest stars you see on social media and hear on top playlists, like Latto, who he’s draped in custom threads from Onrushw23fh and Michael Schmidt, and Uproxx Cover Star Coi Leray, who he’s laced in Karl Kani. He continuously finds creative ways to capture his clients’ personalities in clothing. To do this, White has an ideal process that helps him come up with these iconic looks.
Paul L. Carter
“Most of the time, I’m turning on some music, and I’m deep diving into whatever creative may have been shared with me by the artist,” he says. “Depending on who you’re working with, you have to dissect what era they’re in at that time so it all makes sense. Then, I’m doing a deep dive. I’m on Pinterest, I’m on Instagram, I’m on TikTok. I want every platform that has anything to do with fashion, and I’m pulling references, I’m taking notes on up-and-coming designers, [and] I’m looking at seeing what is current from a runway show.”
“This process takes me a few days,” he continues. “Once I get that mood board or creative of what I see, I like to hop on the phone with the client to go through everything. Because more times than not, you’ll come up with a really nice mood board and not get any notes or have any notes. And then the day of the shoot comes and the artist, the client can hate everything — which usually only happens if there’s not been any communication.”
White is very open and honest about not just his process, but also how clients can react. There are times when people will love his creative direction. Other times, they can find issues with it — which is par the course when you’re a stylist working with so many different clients. “You want people to like everything that you do, but you’re not going to always get that reaction,” he admits. “Sometimes they hate it, and you have to come up with something completely different, or they love it, but things could be better.”
Tight turnaround times for creativity can also put a damper on the process — but even those can work out too. “I’ve had clients where we’ve had 24 to 48 hours to put everything together, including fitting on the day of the shoot, and things go bad,” he says. “But then somehow, at the end of the day, the shoot ends up turning out great and the client is thrilled. Those are the moments, the stressful days, that I live for.
“Something as simple as an assistant not showing up on time or a UPS delivery arriving late can really throw off a shoot — but when the final shot is wrapped, you’re able to reflect and be excited that you pulled off something nicely together,” he adds.
White has no plans to stop styling anytime soon, even though he’s achieved practically everything he’s ever wanted — but there are even bigger aspirations that he’s been thinking about pursuing. “I would love to get into film -— specifically, horror films,” he says. “In a perfect world, I’d love to do a slasher film and be a part of the costume design and wardrobe.”
HBCU institutions have a rich music culture. Over the last few decades, its various schools across the country have helped boost the careers of numerous artists by providing a space for their music to thrive. The shortlist of artists who have seen this effect include Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Young Thug, Young Dolph, and more. Additionally, the importance of music can be seen through HBCU bands that are extremely important to the fabric of school life. It comes to life through big displays like the annual Battle Of The Bands competitions and smaller instances like the infamous Grambling vs. Southern rivalry football games.
With all this being said, it’s no surprise that HBCUs have also produced some of the music’s most famous artists. From legends like Lionel Richie and Common and present day stars like Megan Thee Stallion, SZA, and Metro Boomin, the spirit of HBCUs runs through a number of artists — even if their tenure at the institution was short.
Ahead of homecoming season, we decided to spotlight ten artists who have connections to an HBCU. Scroll down for the list of artists and the institutions they attended.
Megan The Stallion (Texas Southern University)
Getty Image
In 2021, the same year that she went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for her “Savage” remix with Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2021, Megan spoke about being in school “for so long” and how she balanced her rap career after deciding to ramp up her semester load to finish sooner. “Every time I had an assignment or something due, one of my managers would just pull me to the side and be like, ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to do this presentation today.’ Or ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to turn this assignment in today,’” she said. “I would have not been successful this semester without my team.”
SZA (Delaware State University)
Getty Image
SZA attended Delaware Statue University after graduating from high school in 2008. The singer majored in marine biology and earned straight As for her first two semesters before losing interest. In a 2023 interview with Elle, SZA opened up about her experience in college. “I’m like, ‘I told you I was smart and I proved my point. I have to leave now,’” SZA said, recalling a conversation with her mother. A few years later, the singer met TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr., signed to the label, and the rest is history.
Metro Boomin (Morehouse College)
Getty Image
Multi-platinum producer Metro Boomin spent just one semester at Atlanta’s Morehouse College before dropping out to pursue music. He spoke about the decisions that led to him leaving the school during a 2017 interview with GQ. “As grateful as I was to be there, I didn’t want to be there,” he said. “It was bittersweet, because I knew for a fact that I need to put all of my time into music. School is the same as producing: If you want to make it far, there are a million, trillion people trying to do the same thing. If you’re not in over-grind mode, it’s probably not going to work the way that you want it to.”
Rick Ross (Albany State University)
Getty Image
Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross attended Albany State University on a football scholarship, but dropped out of school soon after. Ross’ pursuit of a music career kicked into gear at the turn of the century, and in the decades after, Ross’ ties to Albany State University have remained strong. In 2022, he spoke to students at the school for the homecoming convocation ceremony, where he told students that “the greatest job you will ever have is being CEO of your life.”
2 Chainz (Alabama State University)
Getty Image
Just like Rick Ross, 2 Chainz also attended an HBCU off an athletic scholarship. His, however, was a basketball scholarship to Alabama State University. In a 2017 interview with The Daily Beast, 2 Chainz said that he left ASU after his freshman year after he “got into some trouble.” He later returned to the school to complete his degree. In another conversation, this time with Rolling Stone, 2 Chainz addressed rumors that he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “Don’t believe anything on Wack-ipedia,” he said. “There’s a lot of false stuff on there, to the point that every time I try to fix one thing, something else comes out.”
Wale (Virginia State University & Bowie State University)
Getty Image
Our collection of HBCU scholarship athletes continues with Wale. The DMV rapper initially attended Robert Morris University on a football scholarship before transferring to Virginia State University. His football career would come to an end when he transferred to another HBCU, Bowie State University, but Wale would later drop out to pursue a music career. It was at VSU that Wale discovered his musical talents. In a 2021 conversation with The Ringer, Wale recalled spitting freestyles art the school’s Foster Hall. “The guy that was across the hall from me in my dorm was like, ‘Keep going, keep going. You tight,’” he said. “People really started f*cking with me at Virginia State.”
Killer Mike (Morehouse College)
Getty Image
Earlier this year, Killer Mike won his first Grammys as a lead artist for Best Rap Album with Michael and Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Scientists.” Those awards came more than 20 years after Mike won his first Grammy thanks to a feature on Outkast’s “The Whole World.” That song was the result of Mike and Big Boi’s friendship which came about through Mike’s attendance of Morehouse College in the 1990s. “The deciding factor for me getting into Morehouse was probably my homeroom teacher,” Killer Mike told the Seattle Times. “He was a Morehouse man. His name was Mister Lee-Roy Arnold.”
He added, “I think [Mr. Arnold] saw something in me, because he pushed me and messed with me for five years, to the point where he bet me all my book money for the first year that I would not get into Morehouse.”
Common (Florida A&M University)
Getty Image
Before Common achieved his dreams of being a successful rapper, the Chicago native was enrolled at Florida A&M University under an academic scholarship as a business administration major. Common would only stay at the school for two years before dropping out to pursue rap. In 2019, nearly 30 years after he attended, Common would be honored with a doctorate degree in fine arts and invited him to speak at that year’s commencement ceremony. In his speech, Common said that his activism, which went on to be ever-present in his music, began right at FAMU where he says his experience was unlike anything he went through in hometown of Chicago.
Erykah Badu (Grambling State University)
Getty Image
Erykah Badu nearly graduated from Grambling State University with a major in theater, but she left the school in 1993 to focus on her music career. Four years later, she delivered her debut album Baduizm, a masterclass in neo-soul that’s still heralded as a classic today. In an interview with the school’s newspaper The Gramblinite, Badu recalled her time at the university. “I auditioned for several plays while at GSU at the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre,” she said. “I danced with the Orchesis and was involved in a rap group called ‘CP Posse,’ which stands for Cultural Production.”
Lionel Richie (Tuskegee Institute)
YouTube
While all the artists on this list did not experience the HBCU life until their adult years, Lionel Richie’s time at an HBCU dates back to his childhood. The legendary singer grew up on Tuskegee Institute’s campus before attending the school and earning a Bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in accounting. “In my world growing up on campus, we were surrounded by gospel music because of the choir,” Richie said of his experience to The Austin Chronicle. “R&B music was the music they played on the college campus.”
In early December 2020, R&B singer-songwriter Teyana Taylor surprised fans by announcing she was retiring from the music industry. In a caption for her Spotify yearly listener wrap-up post, she thanked fans before admitting to feeling “super under-appreciated” by the industry at large, adding that she felt that there was “little to no real push from the ‘machine.’” Later, she clarified those comments on an Instagram live, sharing: “I’m putting in 110%, and my label is giving me — they’re reciprocating, what, 10% of that.”
Since her debut in 2014, the star had released three critically acclaimed albums, with her 2020 release, Album, reaching No. 1 on the R&B charts. Still, she felt that pushing a career in R&B was leading her down a path to nowhere. “Baby, I gotta do it for my mental health,” she continued on her live. “I have to do it for my emotional health.”
Later, she spoke to Cam Newton for his BET series Sip ‘N Smoke, sharing: “I felt like the label [first Pharrell’s Interscope imprint Star Trak, then Kanye West’s label Good Music] wasn’t really hearing me and seeing me. I felt underappreciated. So, for my mental health, my mental well-being, for my kids, let me just put this on ice for a little [bit],” she said. “It’s not that I retired permanently. It’s more like: I just don’t feel like I want to move another inch for a company.”
Fast-forward to now, and the idea of retirement seems to be the antithesis of Taylor’s multifaceted creative career. In the four years since she announced her exit from making music, she’s poured herself into other lucrative creative endeavors—ones that have positioned her as a leading visionary in not only music but also film and entertainment and as creative director.
“I pour into other artists because I want to give them something I wasn’t able to have,” she told NME about her creative direction career. “There are people that are like, ‘I don’t know how to love because I never received love,’ and then you have people that are like, ‘I want to love harder because I want to give you everything I wasn’t able to have’ and that’s me. Imagine retiring and taking the secret potion [of success] to the grave with me. Why would I do that?”
Last year, Taylor took on the reigns of one of Latto’s biggest performances to date, orchestrating the star’s debut Coachella performance. She shared a BTS video of the process, from overseeing choreography to double-checking stage props and analyzing the timing of graphics. Her production company, The Aunties, also worked with up and-comer Lola Brooke. “We literally only had two four-hour rehearsals, but I had no worries,” Taylor wrote in a video post of Brooke preparing for the set. “‘Cause I knew you could and would kill that sh*t. I want to thank you and ya amazing team for trusting The Aunties and knowing that you were in good hands.”
Her team also co-produced and creative directed Lil Baby’s 2023 tour and worked with Summer Walker for a one-off, intimate show in Atlanta last May. Recently, it was announced that she’d taken on creative direction for Skilla Baby. In a video published near the time of the announcement, you can hear Taylor giving the young rapper advice, telling him that the way he carries himself, the way he releases music, all tell the story of who he is and who he’s going to be as an artist, “you got to embrace it,” she says.
Creative direction has always seeped its way into Taylor’s repertoire, even when she wasn’t running a production company. “I think a lot of people get confused and think it was this pivot,” she told the crowd at CultureCon. “I wasn’t like, ‘Now that I’m not doing it I can help others.’ I was already doing it for other artists behind the scenes since I was 15 years old. It’s healing to me,” she said. She directed the neon-lit, slow-burning video for Coco Jones’ “Caliber,” R&B legend Monica’s video for “Commitment,” and has shared her vision with acts like Bryson Tiller, Macy Gray, and ScHoolboy Q.
She also provided choreography for massive stars, like the intense and jittery moves in Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm” video, choreographed by Taylor when she was just 15. Direction has been another hat for the star to wear when she isn’t creating elsewhere. She took on the lead in 2023’s critically acclaimed film, A Thousand And One, or when she’s creative directing for fashion brands like the UK’s Pretty Little Thing. Despite her segue from singing, she has no plan to stop creating, and according to one interview, she hasn’t completely ruled out releasing music.
The star even teased a new track on social media earlier this year. “I’m like a Glade plug-in. I want to be plugged all throughout the room,” she told CULTURED magazine of her multi-hyphenate status. “Why only be locked in this bathroom? Why only have the kitchen smelling good when the whole building can smell good?” As Taylor told Jimmy O. Yang for Interview magazine after her film release, “When I follow my heart, it takes me in the right direction every single time,” and much of that direction has been to become a beacon for other artist on the rise, other creatives who could use direction, other creatives who can learn from what she’s been through in the music industry.
Taylor isn’t only rooting for herself, she’s directing in hopes that other artists “win.” “One thing about working with artists, it’s already there,” Taylor said with regard to creative direction and collaboration during CultureCon. “Some people just handle things differently. I don’t feel like I’m teaching anybody anything. I’m just putting makeup on a face that’s already beautiful. I’m just enhancing what’s already there and bringing it out.”
Dave Meyers has consistently pushed the boundaries of music video artistry throughout his career, collaborating with a diverse range of musicians and bringing his visionary, audacious approach to each link-up. His extensive portfolio spans multiple genres, showcasing his ability to adapt and innovate while maintaining a signature style and finesse.
Though he began his career working with major film companies, his true passion is in music. His work reflects his deep understanding of its impact, combining cutting-edge ideas with a keen sense of appreciation for the art form. Whether crafting futuristic environments, implementing intricate choreography, or crafting surreal visuals, Meyers’ work remains a testament to his pioneering spirit, allowing the visual experience of music to stand as an art in itself.
Take a look at our list of the most lauded Meyers masterpieces to see if your favorites made the cut. (Spoiler: The video he directed for Little Simz’s “Gorilla,” which was picked up a Sound + Vision award for Best Short Form Video, is included.) And also note, Meyers has directed hundreds of videos and we could easily list dozens more, from Billie Eilish and Harry Styles to Sabrina Carpenter and Coldplay.
Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
In the first of what would be many collabs with the one and only Missy Elliott, the 2001 cultural staple features exactly what you’d expect from both creatives — visually stunning, boundary-pushing work. “Get Ur Freak On” features a dark, dank setting with porcelain, gargoyle-like figures that eerily watch as Missy and her army-clad dancers groove to Timbaland’s legendary, bhangra-influenced beat. The video’s out-of-this-world distinctiveness would eventually become a core attribute of future Meyers-Missy joints, such as “One Minute Man,” “Work It,” and “Lose Control,” to name a few.
Outkast – “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)”
Renowned for its eye-popping effects and technicolor chaos, Meyers’ work with Outkast on their Stankonia hit “B.O.B” is an exact reflection of the frenetic, futuristic energy the song purveys. The video’s high-octane choreography and experimental editing techniques immerse viewers in a tornado of vivid imagery and rapid-fire sequences. These hallmarks don’t only enhance the song’s intensity — they highlight both the director and the ATLiens’ bold, creative approaches to their art.
Aaliyah – “More Than A Woman”
Aaliyah’s style effortlessly bridged then-current trends with forward-thinking flair, making each of her projects both timeless and ahead of their time. Meyers’ presentation of her edgy yet elegant aesthetic through his directorial work in “More Than A Woman” underscored just how much more the ingenue had to offer. Stylized set design and superior visual angles — coupled with Aaliyah’s captivating and cool delivery — demonstrate her immense potential. The video was released shortly after the superstar’s tragic death in August 2001, and it left a lasting impression of what could have been.
Usher – “U Remind Me”
Boundaries between reality and fantasy blur seamlessly within Usher’s “U Remind Me.” The 2001 video introduces a bevy of women who echo the faces of Mr. Raymond’s past flings. A standout appearance by his then-longtime love, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas of TLC fame, creates a poignant link between his personal history and the narrative. The vibrant orange and red backdrop sets a dramatic stage for Usher’s now-iconic solo sequence, where his athleticism and smooth swagger are on full display. This combination of intimate reflection and daring visual style highlights Meyers’ unique ability to intertwine personal connection with artistic imagination, making “U Remind Me” a memorable testament both to Usher’s charm and the power of visionary direction.
Travis Scott – “Sicko Mode”
Throughout Meyers’ work in “Sicko Mode” alongside co-director Travis Scott, viewers are immediately greeted by a vibrant and surreal world that harbors a subtly apocalyptic undertone beneath its colorful veneer — which is perfectly reflective of Scott’s signature branding. Shot in La Flame’s hometown of Houston, the visual swiftly transitions through a whirlwind of scenes, allowing Meyers’ trademark rapid editing style to truly take center stage. The “rager” energy is palpable as Travis Scott and the song’s featured artist Drake oscillate between bizarre scenarios. Each moment bursts with offbeat creativity that bolsters the track’s dynamic intensity — as well as what both artists often bring to the table.
Kendrick Lamar – “Humble”
K. Dot’s “Humble” visual — much like the artist himself — implements a raw, bombastic style that marked a new chapter in his creative evolution. Meyers injects quirky, throwback angles and fisheye lenses into the video, combining old-school techniques with a modern twist. Set design, costumes, and motifs (such as a masterfully figurative callback to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper) amplify the video’s themes, creating a contrast between opulence and humility. True to Lamar’s no-nonsense style, Meyers delivers a powerfully direct visual experience that perfectly complements the song’s uncompromising message.
N.E.R.D. – “She Wants To Move”
Meyers sets a strikingly bold tone that instantly captures your attention with “She Wants To Move,” thanks to N.E.R.D.’s floating, bopping heads. Outside of a magnetic dance performance from multi-hyphenate Alesha Dixon, the video’s literal interpretation of the lyrics (such as the imaginative depiction of “her ass is a spaceship I want to ride”) amplifies its creativity. The narrative unfolds with a woman fervently rushing to the dance floor, embodying an uninhibited refusal to be restrained in her self-expression through movement. Meyers’ direction expertly blends avant-garde visuals with energetic dance sequences, adding yet another compelling example of his genius.
Normani – “Motivation”
With Meyers at the helm, Normani’s breakout hit “Motivation” allowed her to step into the solo spotlight outside of Fifth Harmony. The video pays homage to the revolutionary music videos that influenced Normani’s own performance style, from Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” to Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love.” Not only does “Motivation” celebrate the classics that shaped the dance world, it also marks a moment of cultural revival, as Normani’s envious moves and Meyers’ compelling visuals invite viewers to re-discover the joy of music videos as a moment. Thanks to its nostalgic references and electrifying energy, it beautifully bridges the past with the present, establishing Normani as a promising force on the pop scene, and adding another milestone to Meyers’ directorial resume.
Victoria Monét – “Alright”
Celebrated as a vibrant tribute to the past, present, and future of pop legacies, “Alright” captures the essence of the Jacksons’ recognizable style, while setting the scene for Victoria Monét‘s own star to rise. The video showcases her extraordinary dance abilities with standout choreography that has quickly inspired TikTok challenges, further cementing her as an exemplary talent. Meyers’ innovative camera work accentuates the intricate details of her performance, highlighting the unique qualities that put her above her contemporaries. Through a seamless blend of homage and contemporary edge, “Alright” effectively spotlights Monét’s burgeoning artistry and establishes her as a powerhouse.
Little Simz – “Gorilla”
The visual for Little Simz’s 2023 track “Gorilla” showcases a dazzling array of alternate versions of Simbi, each adorned in diverse outfits ranging from cowboy couture to baseball caps and suits. A secondary music video features an interactive, AI-powered catch powered by Microsoft, which highlights the evolution of technology, while allowing Simz and Meyers’ innovative visions to soar. (“Being able to translate my emotions into my art is a skill I’ve learned to develop over the years,” Simz says of her work with the tech giant.) Despite the cutting-edge technological backdrop, the focus remains firmly on the music, underscoring Simz’s artistic prowess.
Hip-hop has always had a uniform, in one way or another. Versions of rap’s various aesthetics have been locked into popular consciousness far long than the trends themselves were embraced by the genre’s fans in real life.
Picture a rapper in your mind. Perhaps you imagined a 1980s b-boy, replete with a Kangol bucket hat and Adidas tracksuit. Maybe your envisioned rap star has on baggy jeans, sagging just below his waistline, paired with an undershirt and Timberland boots. Or perhaps they’re more modern, decked out in contemporary couture, with colorful braids and facial piercings.
The point is, there’s always been a particular “look” — until someone comes along and disrupts the status quo. This generation’s disruptor is Tyler The Creator, who defied rap’s sartorial conventions — and everything else about contemporary hip-hop culture — from the moment he and Odd Future thrashed their way into the spotlight, right up until now, with his GOLF clothing line redefining hip-hop’s look for a much preppier set of rebels.
GOLF — also affectionately known as “Golf Wang,” a spoonerism of “Wolf Gang,” part of one of Odd Future’s provocative mottos — distinguishes itself from the usual streetwear mainstays with its concentration on clean basics and classic staples, often in pastels or laid-back patterns that suggest throwback casuals without getting stuck in outmoded mindsets about style. The looks take inspiration from the way Tyler dresses himself, and are often even directly designed by the multitalented rapper and producer.
The resulting styles stand out against the backdrop of the perceived studied shagginess of hip-hop fashion, no matter which era you compare it to. Rather than oversized hoodies, GOLF adherents don button-up cardigans with classic prints of hunting dogs that look like the wearer is draped in a painting straight from the wall of the Art Institute of Chicago.
GOLF
The popularity of GOLF has manifested itself — and propagated itself, like a perpetual motion engine — in further collaborations with the legacy brands it was influenced by, like Lacoste and Levi Strauss & Co., as well as streetwear mainstays such as Converse, Vans, and Japanese sandal brand SUICOKE. Such is the demand for Tyler’s distinctive eye for established silhouettes with fanciful details that GOLF was spun off in 2016, offering higher-end products; in 2021, it was spun off into its own standalone luxury brand.
The brand also updates genre staples, cleverly calling back to the Golden Era while updating long-respected mainstays with a youthful edge. For instance, there’s perhaps no one who defines hip-hop more thoroughly than the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, and a signature of the Staten Island product’s style has always been Clarks Wallabees. GOLF has collaborated with the 200-year-old shoemaker for a whimsical take on its classic moccasin, with dainty pastels and embossed heart patterns.
This is a reflection of their creator — pun intended — who has long drawn from the history and core tenets of hip-hop, while imbuing it with his own irreverent sense of humor and whimsy. Take, for instance, the presentation of his most recent album, Call Me If You Get Lost. While it’s presented as a hardcore project in the vein of DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz mixtapes, it also draws musically from the breezy style of 1960s big band jazz that is perhaps best recognized by modern audiences as the soundtrack of 007 spoof series Austin Powers.
Tyler often cites BET fixtures such as Rap City and 106 & Park as major inspirations, but also freely admits to lampooning their version of hip-hop, if not outright rejecting the archetypes presented on BET during his childhood. And why wouldn’t he? If you know you’re no 50 Cent, Fat Joe, or Jay-Z, you have two options: Either try to be them, or become something different.
GOLF
Growing up in LA County as Tyler did, the options would have been even more constrained. After all, the closest thing to a mainstay on mainstream radio and television from the West Coast in the early 2000s was The Game, who loudly espoused his gang ties — something that’s almost as dangerous to imitate in LA as it is to embrace. So Tyler, who found solace in skate culture and the burgeoning fashion scene in the Fairfax district, decided to do things his own way.
Now, to go to one of Tyler’s concerts or his fan-favorite musical festival, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, is to go to a GOLF fashion convention, with thousands of young rap fans adorned in floral prints and pastels, where the usual rap show uniform might have consisted of throwback basketball jerseys or fresh-pressed Dickies work pants and plaid button-up shirts. GOLF’s designs bring a pop of prep, but down to earth, like The Creator himself, who often eschews the trappings of rapper wealth — big, glittering chains and ostentatious, name-brand styling — in favor of the sort of comfy clothes he might have been seen in riding his bike down Fairfax.
That ingenuity and dogged individuality eventually paid off for him, both in the musical success of Odd Future and in the prevailing popularity of his GOLF brand — which, fittingly, centers around the flagship store on Fairfax Ave, the center of the strip where he began his defiant journey of self-definition. That there are so many fans of GOLF worldwide is a testament to how truly relatable that story has been.
Before photographer and Exquisite Eye Studios founder Breyona Holt captured the likes of music phenoms Coco Jones, Halle Bailey, Giveon and bLAck pARty, she got her drive from her hometown of Atlanta.
Currently based in Los Angeles, Holt credits the ATL scene for showing her the grind and hunger that she’d need as a burgeoning artist. It was in the mid-2010s that she kept SoundCloud selections on repeat, listening to acts Smino, Tommy Genesis, Raury, and Awful Records’ Alexandria. Even in her eight years spent on the West Coast, Holt’s mind hasn’t left her southern beginnings, which would come to shape the color theory and contrast in her commercial, editorial and cover artwork.
“We really grew up on dance cultures [in Atlanta], so the music really inspired a lot of the work that I was creating,” Holt tells Uproxx. “When I first started, my photography was very moody, and I think once I moved to LA, over time, I did see that my word got brighter, and I was kind of pulling away from what made me stand out as an artist. I had to take a step back like, ‘Okay, I don’t want to pull too far away like staying into the lines and following the trends and what LA has.’”
But while Holt would depend on her music playlists to soundtrack her mood while editing photos, she credits her father’s early film photography as an influence. Even as a singular visionary, Holt showcases that influence through grainy, analogue photography images of subjects like SZA and Normani.
Giveon
“I [loved] when I was going to his archive and what that would make me feel,” Holt says of her father’s works. “So even though I was mainly shooting on digital cameras at that time, I was trying to mimic that feeling that film made me feel. So the colors that you get with film is just a very organic type of feeling. I would say my dad was really one of my biggest inspirations at that time.”
Through her lens, Holt keeps an eye on individuals across entertainment, but viewers find her photos of Black women to be the most definitive. There’s an artist-to-subject unison where Holt channels the strength of Black womanhood and represents it with dignity. Holt’s portfolio exhibits crisp colors against genuine facial expressions and poses. Most of all, the Black femme energy radiates.
“I believe that it’s very important for us to be seen in a beautiful light and I think that sometimes, when Black women or Black men are the subject, we get the short end of the stick,” Holt says. “Whether it’s how we’re being lit–it doesn’t always represent us in the most powerful or the most uplifting way. Who I am at the core, I love art so much, and I want to make sure that we’re being documented and being seen in the best light, because these things will matter today and to generations to come.”
Since taking the cover art photography for albums like Joyce Wrice’s Overgrown, Coco Jones’ What I Didn’t Tell You, and Amindi’s TWYN, more recently, Holt shot the cover image of Halle Bailey’s new single “Because I Love You.”
“Her voice — she’s literally a siren; her voice is very angelic,” Holt says of Bailey, a fellow Georgia native. “Even just the instruments that she chose to use throughout the record. It was just something so refreshing and something I haven’t really heard before. When you hear a record like that, that inspires the colors you use. Just working with her on that project–the sound and the song is really what inspired the approach of the cover art, and I think it reflects the music video, which was incredible.”
Joyce Wrice
The commanding and vulnerable song would come to reflect Bailey’s confident stance on the artwork, which took on a life of its own. “Even down to the posing, all of those factors matter with the cover art. I’m so happy she chose that photo as the cover,” Holt continues. “I think it was empowering how you know her hands up, her chest out, the arms up–it’s just a very powerful image, and I’m just so happy to have this in my portfolio and to be a part of this.”
On capturing her muses, like the hair-blowing moment-in-time cover of Overgrown or 1970s funk ode on the cover of bLAck pARty’s Hummingbird, Holt likens the interaction to a “dance” between herself and the muse.
“These are real moments and actions for the most part. It’s not like ‘We’re going into these cover arts, and we want you to pose exactly like this,’ because I feel like it would come off a little forced and people would feel that,” she shares. “But these are real moments listening to the music on set, we’re in the vibe — this is a real emotion that they’re expressing through their body, through their face and the color is just there to amplify what’s happening.”
Except for the textured collage on the TWYN backdrop, Holt’s cover art is fairly minimal in practice, keeping the viewers’ gaze on her subjects, and the photography is a visual interpretation of their music.
“When I’m hearing the music, because I really enjoy color theory, it’s about ‘What is this making me feel?’” Holt says. “I think you can communicate a lot through color theory, you can evoke an emotion through the colors that you choose to use. I think using minimal backgrounds, for me, helps you focus on who the subject is. I love a moment where the environment is just an add-on, but like the eyes, the facial expression, the mood of the body language in the model, all of that really matters to me.”
Halle
Along with her photography, Holt calls it a “greater goal” to take her still images to the screen as a filmmaker, especially since she’s built her portfolio as a music video director and creative director.
“Although I started off, and I’m able to grasp people’s attention through my photography, I think people have taken a chance with me when it comes to these music videos,” Holt says of her budding path in filmmaking. “[I’ve] even shocked myself at what I’m able to create as a director, but as I continue to explore with music videos, I would love to grow in that field and do more short films and let that grow, as well, into longform video, movies and things like that.”
In continuing to document the culture, Holt also has her hands in tactile fashion projects under her Exquisite Eye banner, but presenting Blackness in an authentic lens remains integral to her purpose. Holt embraces her roots, and it shows in her life’s work.
“I just love my culture. I love being Black and I love how we always create such beautiful art no matter what,” she says. “To be in this day and age and be able to have the internet and be able to share my art and people gravitate to it, or they feel inspired by it, I’m just doing this for the bigger picture.”
Tino Schaedler has a vision for the future of concerts: It involves embracing the wonder, joy, and community at the heart of the live performance.
The German-born jack of all trades began his artistic career in architecture, before moving into film, brand design, and more. Now? He’s a go-to collaborator for many of the most inventive artists in music.
His work with acts like SAULT, André 3000, Travis Scott, and more earned him an honor at the 2024 UPROXX Sound + Vision Awards as the Vanguard Virtoso, which “highlights visionary collaborators who empower artists and help drive music culture forward.” It’s clear through his varied approaches to stagecraft that there’s no one-size-fits-all method to his creations.
“The music industry has changed a lot since the pandemic, and there’s interest in really trying to create new types of live experiences and new types of experiences in general that are beyond stadium and arena tours,” Schaedler explained to UPROXX.
As such, he, and the artists he works with, have put an emphasis on live and lived experiences. Schaedler says that these aren’t disposable concerts where the lights go down, the band comes on, they play some songs, and they leave. He wants to re-imagine the way concerts can be experienced.
“We’re all on our phones all the time,” Schaedler explains. “I want to make bodies our interface again, putting people into the moment and being present.”
Where does your initial passion for art — or more broadly, creativity — stem from?
My mom really laid the foundation from an early age. I would come home from school and there was always paper and pens on the floor. My whole childhood, I remember just drawing. That was all I was doing. I don’t think it was a conscious decision, but I think she also built a little bit of a reward system around it, because she always made me draw for everyone: grandparents, aunts and uncles, and everyone got a little drawing from me. There was always appreciation around it. It really built this image where I always felt like I was an artist. There was no other choice. It was so natural for me because it was my passion, and I think there was a persona that was created around that from that early age on.
Did you go to school for art? What was your focus?
I studied architecture. That was a little bit of a compromise in the beginning, and my dad really pushed me for it. He was a real estate developer and he was like, “Do you want to do art? At least have it be something that has a bit of an economy behind it.” Back then, I always thought of it as a compromise, but in hindsight, it wasn’t really, because studying architecture gives you such a broad scope of education, from understanding the technical side of architecture to the spatial understanding and spatial imagination to art history, architectural history, and all of that.
A lot of what I do is still fed from that time, and it really influenced the way that I think about things. I studied at Berlin and then did two years at UC Berkeley, and there I learned about this landscape architect named Lawrence Helpin. It was a long time ago and computers were a new thing. I think I got my first email while I was at Berkeley, and I learned about this landscape architect that did a lot of design on the campus there. He was designing using a storyboard. He used a storyboard to design landscape architecture. Architecture was never an abstract shape. It was always a combination or a relationship between a camera movement and perception. I always thought about architecture in a very cinematic way
And that’s a pretty good way to describe what you do now, right?
When I have meetings with new clients and I explain the way that I think about things, it’s relevant because I studied architecture and that’s all about space and the physical and psychological dimension of space. If you go to the Pantheon in Rome, there’s an emotion attached to that. Creating space has a kind of poetic potential to really evoke an emotion.
Getty Image
What did you do after graduating?
After graduating, I went into film and I worked on big movies: Harry Potter, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, V For Vendetta. I had this high school teacher who inspired me to get into film. In Germany, you have to write an essay to graduate high school, and I wrote mine on [Stanley] Kubrick and [Alfred] Hitchcock. It was always film, it was about thinking about architecture through the camera lens, then moving into film. It was a very natural progression.
I did most of those films in London, then moved to California and did more films while moving into music videos and commercials. I also became a partner in this experiential agency, which is all about consumer journey choreography and creating experiences. What I do now with SAULT is really about those three things. It’s space, it’s design, it’s storytelling. It combines movement and experience. The music industry has changed a lot since the pandemic, and there’s interest in really trying to create new types of live experiences and new types of experiences in general that are beyond stadium and arena tours.
I learned from some of the brand experiences that I did for Nike or for Apple or for Beats. There are some interesting ideas in there, especially when paired with the shift towards immersive experiences. The music industry is open and hungry for new ways of experiencing things. We’re all on our phones all the time. I want to make bodies our interface again, putting people into the moment and being present. There are things that I’ve been super interested in for the past 10 years.
What was that challenge for you in helping SAULT be the band that they wanted to be in a live setting?
It was a super interesting setup. I mean, I got the first call about a year ago in October. I got that call from Inflo, and there was an immediate connection of various interests about creating something very special, creating something that puts people into the moment. The whole mystique that they’ve built around the band was super interesting to me. I didn’t know him before. A mutual friend connected us, but from the first moment, there was this really deep connection with Flo. We were on the phone for the next two months.
I did a few trips to London and it was just a beautiful exchange. Everything was created in terms of the design, and the programming came through us talking and figuring out how we could do something that is different than your traditional show. Normally, you wait in the main space, suddenly the light goes off and the band performs, and then the light comes on again and everyone leaves. The idea was about creating a world that’s very cinematic. The idea of world building is inherent to movies, so when you’re working on Harry Potter, you design the whole world that fits these characters. World-building is an interesting aspect that I think is very relevant for music today.
A lot of musicians do it just by the persona that they create. Think about Daft Punk, Doja Cat, or Lady Gaga. We wanted to take that to the next level and not just have something on the stage that you look at. We wanted to create something that you walk through that you experience where you have a much stronger interaction with it. It wasn’t a traditional linear relationship of the audience looking at a stage, because we redefined it by putting the stage in the middle of the whole crowd. You’re walking through the stage, everything becomes one. The whole space is the stage, basically.
Do you have an overarching philosophy to the way you approach these projects? Or are you more chameleonic in the way that you work with the artist’s desires?
I think it’s a little bit of both. There are some artists where you just have to be what they need, and I can deliver that. I worked with Tyla recently and they just needed help with a few festival shows, and we just designed something that can live on the festival stage.
Then there are other artists like André 3000. I helped him with his last tour, and that one was super minimal. We decided on that because he just wants you to put your phone away and listen. We did that one with a laser that shoots through this glass of water, and it’s so iconic. André is always about, “Let’s strip away, let’s strip away.”
Getty Image
What do you think stage design can, or is meant to, achieve?
When I worked in commercials or music videos, there were always people asking me why I didn’t move more into directing music videos or commercials. There are so many young people, and I don’t think I have anything unique to offer. I can do a good job, but I don’t have anything that no one else has. Regarding music and what I bring to it, though, I think I have a unique thing to give. In an ideal scenario, we all want to align our life purpose. We all want to feel like what we do has an impact.
In an ideal scenario, you come to a point where your gift or your skill and your passion all align with some kind of ability to give back or to create something meaningful. I love creating these moments that people remember for a long time.
I was at Tate Modern a few weeks ago. I was invited by Little Simz, and during that panel afterwards, a lot of people came to me and spoke about my work. There are still a lot of people that hit me up about SAULT. That alone is proof that something really special was created. So, that is the sweet spot that I want to be in. Not every project offers that, but I think it’s getting to be the case more and more, because more artists are realizing that they can actually do something different. They can push it, and there’s almost a new typology of music experiences evolving.
