Precious Fondren is a reporter on the Culture and Arts desk in the newsroom. Below are some of her favorite albums and experiences in 2023.
Music lovers in New York City had a lot of exciting options this year, and not just blockbuster stadium tours from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
From breakout stars like Ice Spice, to concert options from established acts like Drake, to the dozens of activities celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary.
Below are nine concert performances, projects and hip-hop celebrations that stood-out.
Standout Concerts
50 Cent at Barclays Center
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his successful debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” which includes classic hits like “In Da Club,” rapper 50 Cent embarked on his worldwide “The Final Lap” concert tour this year.
It came to the Barclays Center for two nostalgic, fun-filled nights in August, and did not disappoint longtime fans like me.
In the nearly three-hour show, 50 Cent made room for all his greatest hits like “21 Questions,” “I Get Money” and “Many Men.” It also included a slew of special guests like Brooklyn rappers Young M.A., Fat Joe and Bobby Shmurda.
SZA at Madison Square Garden
This year, Billboard Magazine’s “Woman of the Year” – pop star SZA – embarked on her first arena tour named after her chart-topping second album “SOS.”
The show came to Madison Square Garden for two nights in early March.
SZA performed most of the 23-track project and reminded fans why they love her with old songs like “Doves in the Wind” and “Drew Barrymore.” She ended with a heartfelt message thanking her fans for believing in and supporting her music.
Kelela at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park
The “BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!” concert series lineup this summer was stacked with incredible talent like Anderson .Paak, Kari Faux and Joe.
Singer-songwriter Kelela was also on the bill at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne Bandshell. She performed songs across her catalog, including…
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