With 420 lengthy in our rearview, we’re privileged to share with our readers an occasion in New York that encapsulated how hashish, tradition, and group work in tandem. Sofar Sounds, the progressive dwell music idea, hosted an occasion at Gotham’s Chelsea location with performances from marilyn simone, Parker Phillips, and ALICIA.
On an unusually chilly Monday night in Chelsea, Hip-Hop Wired was invited to attend Sofar Sounds’ 420 occasion inside the trendy and spacious woman-owned Gotham dispensary. What makes Gotham stand other than different authorized dispensaries we’ve visited is that it actually lives as much as its motto, which is “The place Hashish Meets Tradition.”
That was evident by the nice and cozy vitality from the workers and attendees of the Sofar Sounds occasions, alongside patrons who have been there to select up their wares for the 420 vacation. Half dispensary, half efficiency area, and half clothes retailer, being inside Gotham alone would’ve been well worth the go to, however fortunately, there was extra to expertise.
To elucidate the Sofar Sounds idea as greatest we will, the occasions function musicians of various genres in an intimate setting, sometimes pulling from a pool of native expertise.
Opening the set was Oakland native and present New York resident marilyn simone, whose honeyed vocals felt revelatory as a lot as they have been ethereal. After their efficiency, we had a quick chat with simone, who defined their artistic ambitions and their work with Sofar Sounds.
“I’m simply in my first yr residing in New York, and once I first got here right here, I utilized to be a Sofar artist,” simone defined. “The method was fairly seamless, very relaxed. And after I accepted their invite, they’ve been reserving me fairly constantly. They’ve been very supportive.”
Whereas simone’s music doesn’t have a neat style field to be positioned in, what we will say is that their efficiency was such that attendees have been laser-focused your complete time, and for good motive. We requested what impressed them to create music and what’s subsequent of their journey.
“Rising up in Oakland, I went to a performing arts college, so music and creation have been at all times part of it for me,” the Berklee Faculty of Music graduate defined. “Culturally, Oakland had such a huge effect on me, and the humanities scene there may be vibrant.”
They continued, “I used to be impressed by the jazz and modern indie scene in Oakland, and due to how shut we’re to San Francisco, there have been alternatives for me to see jazz exhibits and different genres, and all of it helped me kind my stage present. I’ve loads of music out there and within the works, and I’m straightforward to seek out on-line. I’ve much more to offer.”
Because the evening went on, we have been launched to the charismatic Parker Phillips, and the Massachusetts native and present New York Metropolis dweller was simply as pleasant because the earlier performer. After his set, Phillips was gracious sufficient to share his story with us, most particularly his early days.
“I got here up singing within the church as a result of my dad is a pastor and my uncle is a bishop, actually, my complete household is within the church,” Phillips shared. “We’re a part of the New England Pentecostal Ministries and our roots run deep throughout New England.”
He continued, “We got here from one of many first African American households to determine a church within the New England space, and most of us sang within the church and past. Even my grandmother had vinyl recordings produced, and I combine a few of that affect in my very own music.”
When requested if the journey as a singer ever will get troublesome, Phillips was candid in his response.
“Sure, it does get troublesome, however with exhibits like this, you by no means know what sort of viewers you’re going to get,” Phillips stated. “However whatever the vibe, you must go on the market and be sure you’re doing it from the guts and with love. As a result of that’s what music is basically all about, proper? Doing it since you find it irresistible, however doing it since you need to promote the sensation of affection within the room.”
Parker Phillips is tough at work on his debut album, which he plans to unveil over the summer time. He shared that he’s been engaged on the undertaking for a decade and added that it is going to be a visible album.
Final however not least, we have been greeted with the sounds of ALICIA, a Washington, D.C. space native now residing in New York as effectively. Just like the acts earlier than her, ALICIA’s music was a mix of sound however stuffed with gumption. Regardless of her standout efficiency, she spoke in a splendidly disarming hush throughout our chat.
“If I needed to clarify my musical type, it’s different R&B however with influences from throughout,” ALCIA started. “I grew up listening to gospel and pop, and naturally, R&B, and even rock music. I simply need to be progressive with my sound and discover new methods to discover.”
ALICIA’s time within the “DMV,” as many name the area, concerned her shifting round, however she did add that the Nation’s Capital has held sway in how she approaches music.
“The D.C. space is the place I lived the longest, and I once I was residing in Waldorf (Maryland), my buddies would take me into the town for exhibits,” ALICIA defined. “Whereas I used to be remoted a bit, these journeys gave me an opportunity to expertise the creativity of the humanities scene within the space, and I feel D.C. undoubtedly formed a whole lot of my sound.”
Past the artists, we additionally spoke with Gotham’s Director of Content material, Rachel Bell, and the host of the favored Hello, I’m Excessive video sequence. Bell’s bubbly vitality that some could have seen within the sequence translated effectively in actual time, and he or she defined a little bit of her journey with Gotham, her sequence, and extra.
“I started working for Gotham in 2024, and it was my first job within the hashish business,” Bell begins. “I shortly realized that though I had a background in social advertising and marketing, you must do issues in another way on this area for authorized causes.”
Bell added, “So whereas I couldn’t precisely show our merchandise on platforms like Meta, I believed that what could be cool is to make use of the product, movie myself doing a little kind of New York-based outing, and that was the impetus of the sequence. I’ve been doing Hello, I’m Excessive since 2023, and we’re now on our forty sixth episode.”
Bell additionally famous that her novel strategy to product opinions within the type of quick movies has impressed others within the social media advertising and marketing area to observe go well with in 2026, noting they’ve been forward of the curve.
“There may be a lot cool stuff taking place in social advertising and marketing, and everybody’s getting in on it, however we’ve received a three-year bounce on lots of the of us on the market. It’s been cool to get seen by main publications for our efforts,” Bell added.
As a result of hashish is so stigmatized, we requested Bell how she and the Gotham workforce have discovered methods to take away the stigma surrounding hashish use and the like.
“I spoke with a lady, whose identify is Sarah, and he or she struggles with MS,” Bell stated. “She posted this complete Instagram carousel of pictures of people who find themselves nonetheless incarcerated over hashish. Nonetheless, it’s actually a drugs for many people, and it helps Sarah along with her incapacity.’
Bell continued, “It’s such an fascinating enterprise to be in, however there may be additionally some unhappiness. I feel the extra we normalize it for the common individual, it could possibly work. In actual fact, I feel Hello, I’m Excessive is an effective option to take away the stigma as a result of it was born out of artistic necessity, a workaround for me to do my work. So, I’m discovering methods to enlighten and educate of us and produce this drugs to of us who want it.”
We ended our night at Sofar Sounds and Gotham Chelsea’s 420 occasion, talking with Lexie Lieberthal, Sofar Sounds’ New York Metropolis music curator. With this being our first time attending considered one of their occasions, we had loads of questions relating to the idea.
“Principally, the idea is about creating an area the place artists and lovers of music will be in the identical area on the similar time,” Lieberthal stated. “It’s an intimate and collaborative kind of expertise relating to live shows.”
Lieberthal provides, “Often with live shows, there may be this enormous divide between artists and the viewers in a whole lot of dwell music performances. Sadly, lots of people aren’t listening to the music and as a substitute are taking footage. So, we’re creating an area the place individuals who love music can meet and collect collectively.”
It goes with out saying that Sofar Sounds and Gotham achieved their harmonious purpose. Even because the occasion ended, followers and artists alike gathered collectively, clearly drawn collectively by the shared expertise, and, we’d prefer to assume, are higher for it.
Be taught extra concerning the musical artists right here.
Be taught extra about Gotham right here.
Be taught extra about Sofar Sounds right here.
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Photograph: Gotham/Sofar Sounds
