MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A group of Memphis rap pioneers is set to reunite on stage for the first time at the Memphis Riverbeat Festival. DJ Zirk, Frayser Boy, Kia Shine, Al Kapone, Tom Skeemask, and Gangsta Blac will take the stage together, marking a historic moment for the city’s OG rap scene.
“So this is going to be legendary,” Tom Skeemask said as the group prepared for their performance.
Kia Shine expressed that the energy and pride surrounding the event were perfectly aligned with the significance of the moment.
“I think the energy is right. I think the pride, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of Memphis pride. There’s a lot of pride for what we do as musicians. And us trendsetters and influencers of this marketplace. And we don’t always get our just do and our praise. So it’s good that Memphis Riverbeat allowed us to be able to come together so we can get our flowers while we’re living,” Kia Shine said.
These rappers have left an indelible mark on the music industry through record-breaking hits, Academy Award recognition, concerts, and chart-topping songs. Their influence extends far beyond Memphis, shaping the sound of hip-hop across the nation.
“You can’t get rid of me. You got some kind of way. I got something to do with this music,” Gangsta Blac said.
Their careers began long before they achieved fame. Kia Shine recalled writing raps in his mother’s home, where he and others would create music in a more informal setting.
“He was writing where I remember him writing raps over my mama’s house in her apartment, and we were just writing raps and like this being crazy like you,” Kia Shine said.
Frayser Boy remembered using a Casio keyboard on weekends, while DJ Zirk described the early days of the music scene.
“I’m sure each one of those right here, except the young guy, came out of the trunk. You know what I’m saying? They got tapes hanging posters, hanging posters,” DJ Zirk said.
The musicians are deeply embedded in Memphis culture and have influenced one another throughout their careers.
Tom Skeemask shared how Al Kapone gave him his start after seeing him perform at 21st Century. DJ Zirk later provided him with his first opportunity to record a song.
“First, Al Kapone, when he was at 21st Century, I seen him performing and that started. And then Zirk gave me my first opportunity to do a song. Wow. And from there, I found my voice and it’s been like that ever since,” Tom Skeemask said.
DJ Zirk also mentioned that he was Al Capone’s hype man and DJ when they were teenagers in the scene.
Frayser Boy noted that he once shared the stage with his first cousin, highlighting the tight-knit nature of the community.
The legacy of these OG rappers continues to live on through a new generation of artists, including Rarrichhie and Grammy-nominated Memphis rapper Glorilla.
“I love the fact that the young generation is continuing the sound that we all created. The fact that they are able to walk on the foundation that we were able to lay and keep it going, that’s how it continues the Memphis legacy,” Al Kapone said.
Kia Shine emphasized the unique connection between Memphis songs and the city itself.
“It’s something about when a song connects with Memphis, and it just rips through the city, yeah, it just like it makes you want to do it make you want to do it it’s like, and it was so Memphis the way people were doing it. It was like, it’s just like, it’s like second nature,” Kia Shine said.
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