Sporty’s Brass Band, Big 6 Brass Band, Young Pinstripe Brass Band and Kings of Brass joined by Hip-Hop artists to bring the noise in the long-awaited return of Red Bull Street Kings
Music icons Mannie Fresh and Mia X judged the competition alongside local legends
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Four bands. Three rounds. Two finalists. One winner. Red Bull Street Kings made its highly anticipated return to the Big Easy on Saturday, September 24. The celebration of brass band traditions, merging the rich musical legacy of New Orleans with its progressive hip-hop culture made soundwaves through Music Box Village as spectators savored the vibrant sights and sounds of brass culture. The electric vibe was created and carried by the city itself.
Competing bands; Sporty’s Brass Band, Big 6 Brass Band, Young Pinstripe Brass Band, and Kings of Brass faced off under the warm New Orleans sunshine. A stacked panel of judges including hip-hop icons Mia X and Mannie Fresh, and local legends Christie Jourdain (Original Pinettes and 2013 Red Bull Street Kings winner), Alana Harris (Deputy Director of Arts and Culture), Chris Herrero (Band Director) looked on as the bands Secondlined through the capacity crowd toward the stage. DJ Kelly Green and Host Downtown Lesli Brown brought the energy between sets throughout the event. Guest performers took the stage between rounds, including Flagboy Giz featuring DJ Raj Smoove, a New Orleans All-Star Brass Band, Zulu Tramps, and Queen of the streets – Secondline Shorty.
The whimsical venue was filled with blaring brass, parasol twirls, suits and hats, as bands performed a traditional brass song in the first round. In the second round, each band was paired with a Southern-based hip-hop artist. Stone Cold Jzzle, Alfred Banks, $leazy EZ, and Treety took the stage alongside their respective band, paying tribute to brass legacy with a modern infusion.
“The collaboration is fun. We need to do it more often,” said Alfred Banks, hip-hop collaborator of the winning band. “Hip-hop and brass are more similar than people think. This is the start of something cool, and I think it’ll only continue from here.”
Bands were scored on stage appearance, material, energy, musicality, and innovation. Following the judge’s deliberation, Sporty’s Brass Band and Kings of Brass advanced to the final round. As the performances progressed, so did the energy of both the bands and local New Orleanians. Waving handkerchiefs and dancing feet celebrated not only a musical competition, but a way of life.
“Ain’t nobody like us; nowhere in the world,” said Mia X, the first female artist signed to No Limit Records. “The culture, the food, the people. There’s no city like this city. New Orleans is touched with something special.”
After the final horn of the third round sounded, 17-time multi-platinum record producer and judge Mannie Fresh declared an encore. “We want to throw it off a little bit. One more song. Blow it up,” he said as the crowd broke into cheers.
Sporty’s Brass Band and Kings of Brass took to the stage one last time in an unanticipated throwdown for the crown. In the end, Kings of Brass was the first band to step in, and the last band standing.
“This one is for the city we love. This is for everybody. This is for Big 6. This is for Sporty’s. This is for YPS (Young Pin Stripe). This is for all of you. Somebody had to win,” said Caleb Windsay of Kings of Brass in celebration.
“The love for the music and the culture is way bigger than the competition,” said host Downtown Lesli Brown. “The culture is deep. I’m pretty sure anyone that didn’t take the crown today still won.”
All proceeds from ticket sales will support the following New Orleans organizations: Dinerral Shavers Foundation, Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp, and Roots of Music.
Learn more at: https://www.redbull.com/us-en/events/red-bull-street-kings-2022
Photos and video available for editorial use at: https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/C-GLOBAL/CP-A-21794
Join the conversation: #RedBullStreetKings @redbullUSA @redbullmusic
ABOUT RED BULL STREET KINGS
Launched in 2010, Red Bull Street Kings challenges bands to incorporate traditional brass band standards with original tunes of all genres in head-to-head style rounds. Past event judges include Mannie Fresh, Trombone Shorty and Kermit Ruffins. The 2010 and 2013 iterations of the event took place underneath the Claiborne Avenue “bridge,” an overpass and primary artery in the city’s historic Treme neighborhood. This year, the event will move to Music Box Village, where competing bands will perform with local hip-hop artists for the most dynamic Red Bull Street Kings yet.
Previous Red Bull Street Kings winners include the Stooges Brass Band in 2010, and the Original Pinettes who were appropriately named the Street Queens in 2013.
ABOUT THE BANDS
K.O.B Kings of Brass
Founded in 2018, Kings of Brass is a high energy band that lives and breathes the culture of New Orleans, infusing funk, rock, jazz, and hip-hop into a custom-made enhancement of second-line brass band tradition. As authentic as they come, they will forever bring the vibe of the New Orleans Seconf Line with them wherever they are in the world by bringing a little slice of the Crescent City.
Sporty’s Brass Band
Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Sporty’s Brass band has quickly earned a reputation as a premiere band to see for heart-pounding energy and uncontrollable dancing. They take their music into uncharted territory, embracing the spirit of New Orleans.
Big 6 Brass Band
An all-star lineup composed of some of the most talented young brass band musicians in New Orleans. Founded in 2017; though the band is relatively young, their pedigree reveals a wealth of experience. Their music maintains ties to the tradition from which they come, they hold themselves as the vanguards of the brass band scene. Their sound, which combines smooth R&B with the rough and ready sound of the streets, is a true representation of the sound of contemporary New Orleans brass band music.
Young Pinstripe Brass Band
Young Pinstripe Brass Band brings the energy from the streets of New Orleans combining Jazz, Funk, Soul, Rock and Hip-Hop. YPS is led by Herbert McCarver IV, a fourth-generation musician who commands only the most professional and enthusiastic performances from musicians. Their cutting-edge style makes them a force. From classic songs to modern Funk renditions, Young Pin Stripe Brass Band is the quintessential of the times.
