By Jeremy Becker. Photos by Emily Evans.
We showed up at The New Parish early and loitered around the courtyard, waiting for the show to start. Karega Bailey took the stage and we walked into the bar which was slowly filling up with patrons. Emily positioned herself near the stage and Karega started performing.
As someone unfamiliar with Karega’s music, I didn’t know what to expect, but was blown away by his lyricism, energy and the interjection of his own personal philosophy in between songs. Singer SoLauren performed alongside him and complemented his delivery with her beautifully delivered vocal runs. They were completely in sync the whole time and their performance as a duo elevated the whole experience.
After Karega and SoLauren performed their set, Sa Roc’s DJ Sol Messiah played a set consisting of classics like “I Got 5 On It” that got the crowd pumped for Sa-Roc. She came out in a sun hat, burning a bundle of sage. She brought such a serene and collected energy to the stage and it really felt like she commanded the attention of everyone there. She switched her flow multiple times in each song and intertwined rapping and singing expertly. From her upbeat songs like “Goddess Gang” to her more serious tracks, she captured the attention of the audience and delivered a stellar performance. She ended the night with a tribute to her late mother and thanked us all for coming out.
