As the South by Southwest music festival approaches the weekend, headlining names are beginning to appear in greater frequency. Culture magazine Mass Appeal pulled out all the stops this year, as it prepares to showcase a major set Thursday night in Austin, Texas. Two icons of their respective generations - Nas and DJ Khaled - will anchor a stacked hip-hop lineup at the Austin Music Hall for Mass Appeal Presents: Live at the BBQ.
The showcase, which runs from 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., is for one night only and features multiple musical performances and DJ sets. In addition to Nas and DJ Khaled, big names in attendance include Yo Gotti, Just Blaze, Trae tha Truth, Mannie Fresh, Bas, A$AP Nast and Boldie James, among many others and “surprise guests.”
Nas and DJ Khaled are no strangers to sharing the stage. The duo have previously collaborated, most notably on 2012’s ‘Hip Hop’, which also featured Scarface and DJ Premier. In a sense, it seems as though Thursday night’s concert showcases superstars on opposite trajectories. Nas is a certified legend, and arguably the greatest MC of all-time. In recent years, however, he’s faded from the rap conversation and hasn’t released the quality of music he was once known for.
DJ Khaled, meanwhile, is enjoying a remarkable resurgence thanks to his internet popularity on Snapchat. Over the past year, a number of high-profile articles have documented his astounding comeback to relevance, from the New York Times to Bloomberg Businessweek. Khaled now hosts a radio show on Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio.
Regardless of their current situations, having Nas and DJ Khaled perform together should be a memorable occasion, to say the least. Mass Appeal’s Live at the BBQ will be open to SXSW platinum and music badges, as well as wristbands. The festival runs through March 20. Stay tuned to iDigitalTimes for continuing coverage of SXSW 2016.
