9 standout moments in music in NYC this year

Published Dec 30, 2023 at 12:01 p.m. ET

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Published Dec 30, 2023 at 12:01 p.m. ET

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Precious Fondren is a reporter on the Culture and Arts desk in the newsroom. Below are some of her favorite albums and experiences in 2023.

Music lovers in New York City had a lot of exciting options this year, and not just blockbuster stadium tours from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

From breakout stars like Ice Spice, to concert options from established acts like Drake, to the dozens of activities celebrating hip-hop's 50th anniversary.

Below are nine concert performances, projects and hip-hop celebrations that stood-out.

50 Cent performed at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this August.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his successful debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” which includes classic hits like “In Da Club,” rapper 50 Cent embarked on his worldwide “The Final Lap” concert tour this year.

It came to the Barclays Center for two nostalgic, fun-filled nights in August, and did not disappoint longtime fans like me.

In the nearly three-hour show, 50 Cent made room for all his greatest hits like “21 Questions,” “I Get Money” and “Many Men.” It also included a slew of special guests like Brooklyn rappers Young M.A., Fat Joe and Bobby Shmurda.

This year, Billboard Magazine’s “Woman of the Year” – pop star SZA – embarked on her first arena tour named after her chart-topping second album “SOS.”

The show came to Madison Square Garden for two nights in early March.

SZA performed most of the 23-track project and reminded fans why they love her with old songs like “Doves in the Wind” and “Drew Barrymore.” She ended with a heartfelt message thanking her fans for believing in and supporting her music.

A scene from this summer's BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn concert series.

The "BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!" concert series lineup this summer was stacked with incredible talent like Anderson .Paak, Kari Faux and Joe.

Singer-songwriter Kelela was also on the bill at Prospect Park’s Lena Horne Bandshell. She performed songs across her catalog, including tracks from her latest album “Raven” to a drill remix of her classic song “Enemy.”

The free concert served as the perfect backdrop for a picnic with my friends, and we would've gladly stayed for two more hours to hear the singer’s angelic voice.

Kelela performs at "BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!" at Prospect Park this summer.

It’s hard to pinpoint which genre Yaya Bey’s “Exodus the North Star” falls into: Is it neo-soul or maybe more progressive R&B?

Nevertheless, the Brooklyn-based singer is a rising star, and sold-out a show in November at the music venue Sounds Of Brazil.

Her six-track EP “North Star” is a follow-up to 2022’s “Remember Your North Star” and fuses the heart and soul of R&B with the coolness of reggae music.

The project, which clocks in at just under 17 minutes, Yaya Bey reveling in the vulnerability that comes with being in love.

Another standout on the album is the track “on the pisces moon,” which features the singer's sultry voice singing over a light reggae beat as she declares her love for her partner.

Experimental instrumentalist Taja Cheek, better known by her stage name L’Rain, has had a busy year: She was the first ever artist-curator for this summer’s BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert series.

In October, she released her third studio album, “I Killed Your Dog.” The album is a journey through the multitude of emotions the Brooklyn-born artist works through as she tries to recover from heartbreak.

Songs like “r(EMOTE)” and closing track “New Year’s UnResolution” remind listeners why Cheek’s is one of the city’s best talents.

Billboard named Bronx-born Ice Spice the fourth greatest pop star of 2023 – an impressive feat considering she didn’t have an official debut album out. But she did have an extended play: “Like..?”

While the 11-track project is filled with the hits that garnered ice Spice mainstream recognition, like “Munch(Feelin’ U)” and “Deli,” deep cuts like "Butterfly Ku" and "Gangsta Boo" are what make it a fun listen.

On “Like..?” Spice and her producer Riot USA add danceability to the sounds of New York drill. Hopefully fans get more of that on her debut album after she wraps up her tour with Doja Cat.

This year, hip-hop celebrated its 50th birthday in August. For the occasion, rapper LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells festival at Forest Hills Stadium that same month assembled a star-studded lineup that included pioneers of the genre, like MC Lyte, Slick Rick and Ludacris.

But Queen Latifah stood out among the legends. While I’m almost embarrassed to admit I’m mostly familiar with the Queen because of her acting roles, it was nice to be reminded of how important she was to hip-hop.

The crowd rapped word for word with her as she ran through classics like “U.N.I.T.Y.”

This past August, every decade of hip-hop music was on display at the Hip-Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium concert.

The hourslong show included performances from Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa, Ice Cube, Nas and Run D.M.C., among others.

But my favorite parts of the show were when the ladies took over. Lil' Kim killed her almost half-hour set with hits like “The Jump Off” and her now signature dance move. Lauryn Hill’s appearance during Nas’ set, where she blessed the crowd with her powerful vocals, also stood out.

Clipse performing at the IQ/BBQ at the Knockdown Center

This year Genius, the digital-media platform where fans annotate song lyrics, brought back its annual IQ/BBQ end-of-summer celebration to Queens' Knockdown Center and dedicated the event to hip-hop's past and future.

The concert included performances from rising rappers, like Lola Brooke, and veterans, like Pusha T. But for me, the best part of the show was that if you needed a break, you could hang out in the backyard lounge area and test your hip-hop knowledge with a fun quiz game that spanned across the genre's five decades.

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Precious is a culture and arts reporter covering the diverse arts community around New York City. Got a tip? Email pfondren@nypublicradio.org or Signal 646-988-9525.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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