hip-hop/rap

As the first Black-owned brewery in Missouri, Vine Street Brewing is hosting Hip-Hops Hooray in the 18th and Vine District. Starting Friday, the festival will combine hip-hop with jazz, and feature over 30 different brewers.

The multi-talented musician and artist from Kansas City, Kansas, chats about her creative process, going back to school and showing up as her full authentic self.

Taylor Swift isn’t in town, but her connections will make a local impact at Travis Kelce’s music festival and Jack Antonoff’s show at Grinders. Kansas City legend Tech N9ne, revenge song expert Ashley McBryde, and blues slinger Gary Clark Jr. round out the concert calendar.

This month marks the onset of the most rewarding season for music under the stars, and groove-rock band 311 is set to oblige Kansas City audiences outdoors. Waxahatchee, Kane Brown and others will entertain this April’s indoor listeners.

A slate of superstars will appear in Kansas City this month, including Bad Bunny, Drake, Sleater-Kinney and Jenny Lewis. Easter Sunday features a performance by R&B evangelist Anthony Hamilton to end the month on a high note.

When hip-hop hit Kansas City streets, the effect was immediate. The new sound took over record stores, local high schools and underground dance parties. 2023 marks 50 years since the art form got started, and Kansas City is honoring its own contributions to the culture.

Since 2017, the Kansas City Streetcar Holiday Jam brings live music and local musicians to crowds of tourists and shoppers traveling between Union Station and River Market.

When hip-hop hit Kansas City streets, the effect was immediate. The new sound took over record stores, local high schools and underground dance parties. As the country celebrates 50 years of the art form, Kansas City honors its own contributions to the culture.

Tech N9ne, Kansas City's most famous rapper, has had a busy year. Decades into his career, the 52-year-old artist released a new album and has no plans of slowing down.

Entertaining guests from out of town or in need of a break from your family? The holiday season is an ideal time to revisit what Kansas City has to offer, including the refined pianism of Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, the unruly rock of Thelma and the Sleaze, the protest songs of Sunny War and the classic rock hits of John Waite.

Shows by Kansas City rap mainstay The Popper, artistic polymath Terence Blanchard, legendary soul singer Gladys Knight, and beloved pop star Mariah Carey punctuate our selection of the month’s best live music. They represent the year’s last gasp of greatness before winter puts a freeze on many touring acts.

As temperatures fall and outdoor performers take the show inside, these aural options offer the most bang for your buck. Whether it’s bluegrass, Bach, or sludge rock that you get down to, Kansas City’s live music scene has something to offer.