Three Artists To Watch This Week At The Drake Underground

Though inconspicuous from the outside, the Drake Underground is a pivotal venue for the Toronto music scene. Since its creation in 2004, this extension of the Drake Hotel has been a hotbed for independent artists across Canada and beyond. The intimate basement venue is designed to be inviting for concert goers, with a sleek design that feels simultaneously modern and classic. The warm mahogany paneling starkly contrasts a Star Trek-esque, futuristic lighting system that showers viewers with a dazzling array of colors.

Many artists have trampolined from performing at The Underground into wildly popular music careers, including Leon Bridges, Kid Cudi, MIA, and Beck just to name a few. All year round, this venue features independent artists that could blow up at any time. With that in mind, here are three artists to watch that are on the brink of stardom at The Drake Underground:

Ben Reilly

Rapper Ben Reilly oozes humble self-assuredness in his verses. Hailing from New York, he blends the gritty, aggressive style of his roots with eclectic modern production from across genres. Inspired by New York greats like Nas and Rakim, Reilly’s variety of eccentric flows mix perfectly with an amalgamation of Latin brass, borderline hardcore techno, soul, and jazz piano samples. He can bring an audience to their feet with an up-tempo Atlanta trap banger, then bring the energy back down to earth with a transparent tale of heartache over a bubbly R&B beat.

On “Free.99”, Reilly drops fast paced triplet bars over an ethereal, chopped-and-screwed techno trap beat. He brings a ton of energy to the track while slowing down to highlight some of his more profound ruminations, including “Nothing in life is free/Nothing except for me.” Reilly encompasses the frighteningly alluring feeling of freedom in just two minutes and sixteen seconds on this track. You can catch his performance at the Drake Underground on Wednesday, September 28 at 7pm.

Flowerboy

Though Tyler the Creator’s album Flowerboy is the first thing that comes up when you Google search his name, Toronto artist Flowerboy is a musician that fans shouldn’t overlook. From his humble beginnings as a DIY bedroom artist, he has since emerged on the Toronto music scene in full force. The indie pop artist is best known for his dreamy guitar riffs, double-time drums and passionate vocals. His latest EP, Chateau Superstar, is set to release in the next few weeks, so hopefully fans will get a sneak preview of his new songs at The Drake.

One of his most popular singles, “Last Time”, is a modern-day tale of love and loss over a pop punk/trap fusion beat. His unapologetically unique style will make for a compelling concert on Friday, September 30 at 7pm.

Phabo

R&B artist Phabo is one of the sleeping giants of Neo-Soul. The 28-year-old California native brings new twists to the classic soul formula pioneered by greats like Erykah Badu and Aretha Franklin. His exceptional dichotomy of strength and softness in his voice shines through, as he conveys a spectrum of emotions that resonate with listeners. His latest EP, Before I Let Her Go, is a cool, laid back 5 track journey perfect for a late-night drive downtown.

The opening single on the EP, “Long Overdue”, is a decadent ballad where he declares his love over an angelic synth sample and rich, earthy 808’s. Don’t miss his performance Saturday, October 1 at 7pm.