Drop it like it’s hot as Raleigh fetes the 50th anny of hip-hop.
“Ain’t nuttin’ but a G thang, baby.” This August, as we take to the streets to throw down some beats in some pumped-up kicks, Raleigh joins communities across the nation honoring the 50th anny of hip-hop. Traced back to a back-to-school party in a Bronx apartment rec room on Aug. 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc is credited by many for dropping the first beats from which hip-hop was born.
Serving up a solid yes to Missy Elliott’s “DJ, please pick up your phone, I’m on the request line… Is it worth it?”: Hip-hop has shaped our music culture—and our everyday culture—in ways beyond measure for the past five decades. Answering the call to “work it,” hip-hop doesn’t just drop the beat, but it unites us. Kicking off with a February Grammy celebration that brought back some of the genre’s greatest—from Run DMC and LL Cool J to Dr. Dre to Flavor Flav to Missy herself via a deep roster of some of the genre’s legends—the story of hip-hop is the story of modern America point-blank.
To “explore Raleigh’s connection to the genre that has made a global cultural impact since 1973,” says City of Raleigh Assistant Director of Museums Megan Raby, you can fete the 50th by dancing in the streets—literally—Aug. 12. The cast of events, presented by the Friends of COR Museum in partnership with the City of Raleigh, will feat. a daylong street party, classic car show, live beats honoring local hip-hop pioneers, performances from big names like Terminator X and Toosii—plus the op to don your best kicks (see opposite page for inspo) and peep yourself on the Jumbotron as Raleigh rolls out the red carpet for the Sneaker Ball. cityofraleighmuseum.org
Turn Down For What Aug. 12
10am–noon: COR Museum showcases local scholar and industry expert lectures + roundtables on how hip-hop has shaped Raleigh culture.
Noon–4pm: Roll out for the Hip-Hop Car Show feat. classic cars.
Noon–4pm: Take to Fayetteville Street for a free fam-friendly Hip-Hop Family Village with a DJ House, DJ for Kids class (w/ DJ Monika Underhill), break dancers & performers, hip-hop karaoke (!), graffiti public art, and vendors—NTM hip-hop photos on the Jumbotron and a COR Museum roundtable discussion with early Triangle hip-hop pioneers.
6–7pm: Show up and show out for the Hip Hop Sneaker Ball Red Carpet Experience at Raleigh Union Station complete with jam-packed moments for music lovers with hot performances, standout outfits and historic hip-hop reunions.
6–10pm: La di da di, we like to party. Kick it at RUS for the Hip Hop Sneaker Ball with legendary DJs, performers, photo booth, VIP area (+ booth/bottle experience), a hip-hop archive display and more.
Just Kick It
It’s Sneaker SZN! Get pumped—and grab your pumped-up kicks—for the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Sneaker Ball. … Sneakerheads, this summer’s for you.
Jera Laceup Lub, Bianca Wash/Dust, $280, Rangoni Firenze
Jordan 3 Retro UNC (2020), $525, Courtside
Nike Dunk Low, Hyper Pink (women’s), $190, One of One
Jordan 4 Retro Thunder (2023), $235, Southside Soles
Golden Goose, Super-Star Perm-Noos low-top sneaker (women’s), $595, Nordstrom
Nike Air Force 1 Low Retro, Yellow Jewel, $130, Social Status
The dating “ick” Ally McBeal made famous is trending—and apparently drinks on the first date are icks all around.
Raleigh City Council approved a city property tax increase of 4 cents for every $100 in valuation.
TikTok ban begins with Montana—and incites First Amendment lawsuit.
Time to pay up. Starting July 1, City Council is raising parking fines from $30 to $200 for illegally parked cars between 9pm and 7am, seven days a week, in a newly created Glenwood South Parking Overlay district in an attempt to quell the mounting crime overflowing from the bars.
“We have so many exciting things coming up,” says RDU Director of Media Relations Stephanie Hawco. “We are going to touch every corner of this campus over the next several years, from replacing our primary runway to expanding and improving our road systems, parking, security checkpoints and restaurant concepts.” … To that end, in mid-June, RDU’s governing board approved $3.5 mill of funding toward expansion/improvement efforts—think adding upward of 15 and 20 gates to Terminals 1 and 2, respectively; three baggage carousels to T2, plus a larger Customs facility and more ticketing counters, to name a few updates running our way.
“We are also looking at breaking records this summer set in 2019 for passenger travel,” says Hawco. “It’s going to be a busy summer at RDU!” Ahead of RDU’s anticipated updates, we chatted with Hawco for the rundown on what we can expect to fly on the scene.
What’s the vision for Vision 2040? This plan spells out how the airport is going to grow over the next few decades—including everything from infrastructure (like roads) to building a new runway, and adding gates and more parking. In addition to that, we are adding a dozen or more restaurants and dining concepts that will be coming online in the next year or so—and we’re doing a lot of things in general to improve the passenger experience at RDU.
When can travelers expect those restaurant concepts to open?We have a lot of passenger demand for some new options. Scott Crawford will be opening three different concepts in late 2024 (Carolina Craft, Crawford’s Genuine, and Butcher’s Burger and Bar) and Oscar Diaz (of Cortez and Cuya fame) will be opening Adios! in late 2024 as well. We want to have more local NC flavors in the airport, so we are really excited to be bringing these options in.
What about breweries and coffee spots? Beyu Caffe, a Durham-based shop, is slated to open pre-security in Terminals 1 and 2 in the next few months; Black & White Coffee Roasters will be coming spring 2024 in the former Starbucks spot right after you get through security in Terminal 2; and La Farm Bakery has plans to expand its seating area. There are also a lot of breweries coming, which are always popular with airport guests. We’ll have a Bond Brothers Taproom & Kitchen, Raleigh Beer Garden and Lonerider Brewing—all great choices for passengers either coming off their flight or waiting to board.
Is Terminal 1 getting any love? Avelo, Spirit and Southwest are all flying out of Terminal 1 now. Plus, Beyu Caffe and Raleigh Beer Garden will both be located in Terminals 1. And we have a number of new dining concepts coming to both terminals.
And those upcoming pet relief stations? We are currently in the design phase of building pet relief areas in Terminal 1 and 2. They will be located after security and will be for both service animals and people traveling with their pets.
Any travel tips? We recommend getting to the airport early—two hours for domestic flights and three hours for an international flight—for time to park, get inside the terminal, check in to your flight and get through security. Passengers can also book parking in advance on our website and check their flight status online. rdu.com
The Pour House presents the Triangle’s first vinyl record pressing plant.
“Girl, put your records on…” because we’ve got music news hot off the presses! If you’re into hanging Downtown and enjoying live jams, you’ve probably paid a visit or two to The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop. This DTR staple is known for giving independent artists a platform—and the biz is pressing further into its brand via its latest project, Pour House Pressing, slated to open this summer as the first vinyl record pressing plant in the Triangle (!). To boot, Pour House Pressing boasts bragging rights as the second pressing plant in NC (you’ll find the other in Asheville).
For those new to the concept, creating a vinyl record is no easy feat. The pressing process begins by cutting the music in real time onto a lacquer disc; then coating the disc in liquid silver and soaking it in various nickel baths in order to build metal parts (i.e. stampers); and, finally, connecting the stampers to the record press so the vinyl puck can be squished… resulting in a playable vinyl record.
“The vinyl resurgence of the past 15+ years has driven a massive demand for new vinyl records, and there simply isn’t enough global capacity from existing pressing plants to meet demand,” says Adam Lindstaedt, who owns and operates the business with wife Lacie Lindstaedt. “We definitely plan to have bands perform at The Pour House Music Hall, have their records made with us and sell their records in our record shop.”
Ready to press play? The plant is now taking orders for manufacturing records for independent bands and record labels. Rock on! pourhousepressing.com
Why did the chicken cross the road? … To ace our fried chicken quiz, of course! We’ve cooked up a slew of Q’s about the local fried chicken scene—with a sprinkling of “just winging it” to really test your wits—in honor of National Fried Chicken Day July 6. … Are you even a true Southerner if you don’t love to devour the greasy goodness?! There’s no bones about it—will you chicken out or earn an eggcellent score? Best of cluck!
1. Star chef Ashley Christensen—of Poole’s Diner, Poole’side Pies, and Death & Taxes fame—recently released her shares of BB’s Crispy Chicken to Raleigh-based biz partner MDO Holdings. Which recently reopened bar is the renowned restaurateur also behind?
3. “Y’all come!” … With menu items that’ll make your grandma proud, the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant and its fried chicken biscuits are def worth a try. When did this Southern comfort sup spot settle into its current locale?
a. 1961
b. 1979
c. 1991
d. 2002
4. The combo of our dreams, chicken and waffles continue to remain a supreme mealtime pick. Hummingbird’s menu touts a waffle with maple syrup/hot honey herb butter and a lemon and garlic chicken breast that’s oh-so-tasty. From which foodie city does this kitchen draw inspo?
5. Louisiana fast-food chicken franchise Popeyes launched a fried chicken sandwich so popular that it broke the internet circa 2019. How many Raleigh locations does this chicken chain boast?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
6. Hey, y’all! Tupelo Honey’s scratchmade Southern eats fill hungry bellies with a slew of fried chicken ops—paired with waffles, biscuits and an array of sides—oh, my! In what city did this nationwide nosh spot begin?
7. The plot chickens. Agriculture tops the list as NC’s top industry, with poultry ranking No. 1 on NC’s agriculture list in terms of economic impact. About how much money does poultry bring in annually?
a. $39.76 billion
b. $42.38 billion
c. $57.95 billion
d. $68.32 billion
8. Spread your wings and fry. Mandolin’s fried chicken sammy is stacked with pimento cheese, bacon and a pickled green tomato—but what saucy topping amps up its appeal?
a. Old Bay mayo
b. Chipotle mayo
c. Sriracha
d. Honey BBQ sauce
9. Aim fryer! Wilson’s Eatery’s Southern Fried sando features crispy chicken (natch), pimento cheese, lettuce and house pickles on brioche. Which brewery neighbors this resto—and makes the perf place for a post-dinner drink?
