2023 Art Basel Diary

This marked my third consecutive year at Art Basel, an extravagant weekend that stands as Miami's all-star celebration. Bursting with exclusive parties, captivating performances, and brand launches, it's safe to say I've grown accustomed to this luxurious escape from the chilly winters of New York City to the warm embrace of Florida.

Among the myriad events, one standout was "The Art of Hip Hop," commemorating 50 years of Hip Hop with a special performance by Fat Joe. The venue resembled a museum, adorned with rare Hip-Hop artifacts like photos, magazines, and artist clothing.

Venturing further, I explored the new BBC Icecream Store and witnessed the debut of Issue Number 2 of LeBron James' Springhill magazine. Despite the crowded venue, we navigated our way in with finesse (shout out to Tyree). The closure featured a surprise performance by the Boss himself, Rick Ross, providing an authentic Miami experience for those visiting from out of town.

The pinnacle of my Art Basel weekend was, without a doubt, witnessing Kelela's performance—an experience akin to a dream come true. Having missed her free show at Prospect Park earlier in the summer, this performance took place at the ICAM museum, my first visit there. The occasion was the grand opening of designer Dion Lee's Miami flagship store. The proximity to the goddess Kelela left me awe-struck. Apologies for the lack of photos; I promise to invest in a quality point-and-shoot camera soon. For now, check out the footage below for a glimpse into my Art Basel weekend.

5 Videos You NEED to Watch This Week!

1. Kai Cash ft Devvon Terrell - Can We Talk

The 2 New York natives came thru to bring you a banger paying tribute to the Tevin Campbell classic "Can We Talk". The production also pays homage to Hova, you'll notice the classic Neptunes "Give It To Me" sample.

2. TiaCorine - Chaka Khan ft Kenny Beats

This girl has been on a roll no lie, she is definitely something special and I gotta feeling we're gonna see a lot more of her. She just has "It" when it comes to the talent and image thing, you could easily put her in the same bracket as a Doja Cat or a Rico Nasty. But not gonna box her in, shawty has bars and is very versatile.

3. One Acen ft JME - Please Don't Play With Fire

One Acen has been on a roll since Summer 2020 and hasn't been stopping. He's released a slew of different singles and every time he drops he introduces us to a new artist. Well the artist on this track really doesn't need any intro. Please Don't Play With Fire is a dope afro banger featuring Boy Better Know Records frontman JME.

4. Kelela - Washed Away

It legit has been three years since Kelela has dropped music and she's finally back! The wait was so worth it, this woman embodies everything an artist is, she has never released a bad song. For her comeback she shot this video in her home country Ethiopia to give us all the feels for this ethereal track. I low key teared up watching, she just knows how to bring the emotions out of you.

5. Zino Vinci - Namaste

Tbh I don't know anything about this guy except that he can definitely rap, I recently found out about him through The Pit LDN. I went to check his youtube and he has a few videos on his page that are just oozing with creativity. I really like the vibes on this one here.