HF alum curates ‘music in its authentic form’
Femi Adigun, a rapper known by his stage name Femdot, is curating a Hip-Hop and R&B music show at the Ramova Theatre in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.
The second installment of “You Just Had to Be There” at the Ramova Theatre in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood is only a few hours away.
Set for June 6, the Boiler Room-style music show’s all-femme lineup will include a mix of R&B and Hip-Hop with sets by DJs Cash Era and Suki Geez, Hillary Banks, and Indulgence.
“It’s usually where DJs are the focus of the show and the artists are usually submerged within the crowd,” said Femi Adigun, curator and a Homewood-Flossmoor High School alum who graduated in 2014. The rapper, who is professionally known as “Femdot,” performed at Chicago’s Lollapalooza music festival in 2018.
“[You Just Had to Be There” is] a space to capture music in its authentic form based on what it was prior to all of this — when it was just music and the people without separation or status, just good music and people forced to enjoy it,” Adigun said.
The first installment, held in January, exceeded his expectations, prompting him to acquire a bigger space. “It was validating,” Adigun said, “… I do have cool ideas and people do want to do new experiences.”
He previously curated a mental health and music event to help others build community and emotionally reset and taught a Chicagoland Hip-Hop course at DePaul University, his alma mater, last fall.
DJ Aced Spade has known Adigun for years and performed at the first installment of “You Just Had to Be There,” describing the experience as “immersive.”
Amina Norman-Hawkins, adjunct lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago, said her experience teaching the history of hip-hop and Chicagoland hip-hop culture has witnessed the evolution of live performances.
“Authenticity and sincerity and being able to relate to your audiences and your common experiences and being able to tap into that,” Norman-Hawkins said. “I want to believe that you understand what I’m going through.”
Adigun’s family has been especially influential in laying the foundation of morals and values that he carries with him today. “My mom cares about her community so much. Growing up she was always super involved with the youth and helping things and I think that is something that has always stuck with me,” Adigun said.
He is working on a full-length album, which would be his first project of more than eight songs in over eight years with plans to teach again. Then again, “I might just end up doing something very random because that happens pretty often.”
General admission tickets are still available here and starts at 7:30 PM.
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