Flowers: A Tribute to J Dilla [06/24/26]

Event Description:

Flowers - a tribute to J Dilla is a celebration of hip-hop, culture, and artistic innovation. Honoring his legacy is Detroit's own Saxappeal + the Cru transporting you into a world of neck breaking grooves and soul nourishing sounds. Saxappeal is a 2x GRAMMY Nominated artist, and former touring saxophonist for 12x GRAMMY Nominated Charlie Wilson (former lead singer for The GAP Band). Supported by Boston poet and artivist Amanda Shae, and Detroit born/Boston rooted poet and saxophonist Tim Hall. Marking the 20th anniversary of the album Donuts, this celebration bridges generational divides and legendary production into a high-energy concert experience and ultimate live party that will have the whole crowd moving from the first beat to the last.

This program is presented by HipStory in partnership with BAMSFest - Momentum, Mass Hip Hop Archive, and FreeVerse. Special thanks to the J Dilla Foundation. Learn more about HipStory at www.thehipstory.com. Learn more about BAMSFest Play Playe and Momentum events - here

Event Details:

Wednesday, June 24th
5:30 doors | 7:30 show

Featured Artists:

Saxappeal

Saxappeal's mission is to rekindle the flame between people and good music. His hopes are to connect with his audience in a way they’ve never experienced. With a passion deeper than anything he can explain, he uses his horn to tell stories and celebrate the gift of love through music. Saxappeal: The name itself brings a new sensation to the art form of music. Comfortably known as “Sax,” this Detroit born and bred saxophonist has been playing since the tender age of 7. After a mere 6 months of playing, this young bird was encouraged to spread his wings and fly and has been soaring ever since. Now, the extraordinary 40 year old musician brings love, pain & every emotion in between each time he sets foot on stage. His 2012 & 2022 Grammy nominations are a testament to this fact.

Saxophonist/educator/producer/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Saxappeal continues to build his brand, as well as his style of music. Most recently. Saxappeal has toured with 12-time Grammy nominated vocalist, (and former lead singer of The GAP Band) Charlie Wilson, who opened for Bruno Mars’ XXIVK (24 karat) Magic World Tour, and also toured with The Culture Tour with Jodeci & New Edition. He also lends his talents to Zo! & Tall Black Guy, w/Deborah Bond as their Musical Director. In 2026, Saxappeal also began touring his very first solo show, entitled “FLOWERS: a Tribute Series”, paying homage to Sade, Prince, J. Dilla, Whitney Houston, and Rick James this year. To create his own style, which he calls 'SaxSoul', Saxappeal blends jazz, hip-hop, soul, and R & B. This young artist has truly been humbled by his opportunities and eagerly awaits more.

Ketch P.

Miz Korona

Opening Acts:

Amanda Shea

Three-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word artist Amanda Shea is a Black, queer creative at the intersection of poetry, music, social justice, and culture. WBUR lauds her EP God, Again as “bridging the gap between poetry and music,” seamlessly blending spoken word with genres like hip-hop, rap, rock, opera, jazz, R&B, and contemporary sounds. With work featured in the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, The Boston Globe, TEDx, Netflix, Prime Video, BBC News, and GBH, Shea’s voice honors African and Puerto Rican oral traditions, while pushing the boundaries of what poetry can be—and who can access it. Her art reflects her personal life, explores social justice issues, and serves as a tool for healing through trauma.

Tim Hall

Of all the ways that Tim Hall serves the Boston arts community – as a musician, poet, and educator – perhaps no title sums up his presence better than “facilitator.” Sometimes, he’s all of those things at once, interweaving his warmth, storytelling chops, and sense of rhythm into spoken word performances. Raised in Detroit in a home where music always “set the mood,” Hall picked up the saxophone at age 10, gleaning grooves from artists like Kirk Whalum, John Coltrane, Braxton Cook, and Terrace Martin. Known for his inviting blend of jazz, neo-soul, and hip-hop, Hall has become a central component of countless artists’ recordings. His debut spoken word project Colors of My Soul released in 2016, followed by the 2022 EP Trust the Process, an extension of his poetry book of the same name. Hall’s welcoming and tender words reveal his lived experiences, mapping the nuances of Blackness, masculinity, and life’s many beauties. Tim is currently an Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music and Co-Owner of HipStory.

Event Host:

HipStory:

HipStory is a digital media production company responsible for creating unique, innovative, and inspiring art. We are redefining the future history of media by creating products, events and educational experiences that cultivate stories through professional audio/ visual media creation and event production/curation. We are dedicated to fostering a creative environment where clients can explore their vision and receive quality service.

Event Partners:

Flowers: A Tribute to J Dilla

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Flowers: A Tribute to J Dilla

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