Members of Village Fam, from left, Anthony Carter, Aaron Willis, Issa Walker, Brad Benning-Clark and Marcus Lamont.
Downtown block party features hip hop, rock
- Published: August 7, 2014
Village Fam, Yellow Springs’ first hip-hop group is bringing its annual music festival downtown in a new collaboration with the Yellow Springs Arts Council.
The Third Annual Village Fam Summer Jam Block Party is 2 to 10 pm. Saturday, August 9, at the YSAC Gallery, 111 Corry St.
The free event, part of the Arts Council’s monthly Arts Alive performance art series, features food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, live art and music all day from rap to rock. A portion of Corry Street, from Dayton Street to Xenia Avenue will be closed from 5 to 10 p.m. with Village Fam headlining at 9 p.m.
According to Village Fam member Aaron Willis, aka Ace Toogs, the festival is a way of giving back and sharing good music with a younger generation.
“This is for the kids because when we grew up there was not much to do,” Willis said, adding: “I didn’t know any hip hop groups here growing up — we were the first ones to do it.”
With their annual festival, the YSHS grads want to highlight up-and-coming hip hop artists while showcasing established local and regional talent across genres. Village Fam, started in 2012, consists of YSHS grads Willis, Issa Walker, Brad Benning-Clark (V3) and Anthony Carter (Ant Greedy) along with Marcus Lamont (Merq) from Mansfield, Ohio.
Also performing at the Summer Jam are local bands Will C. & F.A.M.I.L.Y., Nerak Roth Patterson Band and Spanish Tony Sanchez, Dayton rap/rock mash up band Sidekick Complex, Cedarville R&B singer Lauren Nicole and an array of hip-hop artists including Enon rapper Marley, Kettering beatboxer ErratiC, 17-year-old Kentucky rapper Bob Fraust with Oz, hip hop group Mizze & That One Kid Z, and solo rappers Clayton, Read and Reem.
On the second Saturday of each month, Arts Council’s Arts Alive series brings performance artists to its Corry Street gallery, from storytellers and poets to musicians and dancers.
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