'There's so much talent in Leeds': Meet the man behind the hip-hop showcase spotlighting grassroots artists
A music showcase is set to take place in Leeds next month to spotlight talented artists in the rap and hip-hop scene.
Organised by record label Wavio Records, in collaboration with R.B. Entertainment, the ‘RBE Music Showcase’ will take place at The Attic in Leeds city centre on May 1 from 7.30pm-11.30pm.
The event will see grassroots artists such as Blackson, Fin-E, and Rudebone perform in front of a crowd and RBE representatives who are scouting for new talent.
Zulu Abantu, co-founder of Wavio Records, sees the showcase as a way for local artists to find exposure and connection.
“Being an artist is a lonely place sometimes but you’re going to be in a room full of people who are gonna be on the same journey as you,” Zulu Abantu told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“You can learn, you might be able to teach some people, and you’re gonna be part of a community.”
The showcase comes two months after Wavio Record's Rapsody concert, a ‘first of its kind’ event which combined rap and orchestral styles.
Zulu Abantu highlighted that within the Leeds rap and hip-hop scene, only a “handful” of artists make it out of the region.
That’s why he hopes the showcase will offer local music artists a “rare opportunity” to be seen and heard by influential figures in the industry.
Zulu said: “One of the biggest problems with Leeds is it’s quite disconnected from the rest of the country. There’s so much talent but it never escapes Yorkshire.
“What’s important about this showcase is it’s gonna give not just regional exposure but national exposure to these artists - it’s giving artists an opportunity to branch outside of Leeds.”
Following performances, the RBE Music Showcase will feature an open mic to enable even more talent to shine.
Zulu Abantu says a showcase offers the “best experience” not just for artists but for audiences too.
“Even if you’re not performing, you feel involved,” he explained.
“There’s gonna be artists there who are getting their first opportunity to show what they’re capable of and that emotion and that energy is so contagious.”
Facing financial pressures and rising costs, a number of grassroots music venues in Leeds, including the Old Red Bus Station, Wire, and Sheaf St, have closed over the past few years.
This has an impact on independent artists who become more limited in performance opportunities.
However, Zulu Abantu argues that grassroots venues and artists are intrinsic to Leeds’ culture, and the music industry itself.
“If you go right back to the beginning, art forms all start at grassroots and it’s the realest form of art,” Zulu Abantu said.
“With live venues closing down left, right and centre, it’s really important to support grassroots art. It’s part of Leeds’ identity.”
To find out more about the RBE Music Showcase and buy tickets, visit Eventbrite.