As festival season quickly comes to a close, A3C Music Festival & Conference is slated to unofficially end the trendy pastime with a 5-day music festival and conference in Atlanta.
Not categorized by bohemian-style clothing or frivolous accessories like glow sticks, A3C has served as a platform for hip-hop and R&B artists (primarily from the southern region) to showcase their talents on intimate stages across the city for ten years and counting.
In its 11th year, A3C also incorporates the element of live panels and conferences detailing the ins and outs of navigating the music business, as well as understanding the history behind the art and culture of hip-hop through academia, film, fashion, and social responsibility.
Fans can expect appearances from Father, 2 Chainz, Rakim, Wiz Khalifa, Beanie Sigel, Just Blaze, Cam’ron, Raury, DeJ Loaf, Mike WiLL Made-It, OG Maco, Curren$y, and so many more dope artists.
The conference portion of the festival is Thursday, October 8 to Saturday, October 10 at The Loudermilk Center in downtown Atlanta. If you’re heading down to the dirty south to experience A3C, click here to download the smartphone app.
Here’s everything you need to catch at A3C.
Thursday, October 8
Soulfood Cypher
Where: Atlanta Streetcar in Old Fourth Ward
Time: 4-5:30 p.m.
A3Conversations w/ Dame Dash & Marc Lamont Hill
Where: Conference Center Ballroom
Time: 5 p.m.
Soundtrack With DJ Mustard & Fabolous
Where: Tabernacle
Time: 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Friday, October 9
Art & Needlz
Where: Atlanta’s Harlem Nights Ultra Lounge
Time: 8-11 p.m.
Hip-Hop N Hipsters
Where: 258 Auburn Ave, Atlanta, Georgia
Time: 10:30 p.m.
BET Music Matters Showcase
Where: Main Stage @ Festival Grounds
Time: 5 – 11 p.m.
Saturday, October 10
A3Conversations w/ Juan Epstein & De La Soul
Where: Conference Center Ballroom
Time: 12:30 p.m.
The Art Of Sound w/ Rico Love
Where: A3C Pro-Audio Center
Time: 2 – 3 p.m.
A3Conversations w/ Juan Epstein & Rakim
Where: Conference Center Ballroom
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Women In Hip-Hop: The Entrepreneurs
Where: Conference Center Ballroom
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Fresh Dressed Screening
Where: Cinefest
Time: 5- 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, October 11
Soul In The Hole
Where: Selena S. Butler Park
Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Taylor Gang Showcase
Where: A3C Main Stage
Time: 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
A3C Official Closing Party
Where: Boiler Room
Time: 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram, Twitter, Getty
10 Forgotten But Great Atlanta Rap Acts (LIST)
Source:Artist Promotion
1 of 10
1. MC Shy D
When people think of old-school Atlanta rap, they think of bluesy, soulful artists like Outkast and Goodie Mob. But there was a movement of Atlanta rap that preceded that sound. Early Atlanta rap was bouncy club music that was influenced by the Miami scene. MC Shy D's “Rapp Will Never Die" was one of the first major rap singles to come out of Atlanta.
<br>Essential listening: "Got To Be Tough"
Source:YouTube
2 of 10
2. Kilo Ali
It could be argued that Kilo Ali was Atlanta's first real rap star. In 1990, at the age of 17, Kilo Ali (who was just going as Kilo then) released his debut album, "America Has a Problem." He released various projects throughout the '90s. The 2000s weren't kind to the rapper, however. In 2005 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for arson. He came home early in 2011.
<br>Essential listening: "Organized Bass"
Source:Amazon
3 of 10
3. Arrested Development
While gangsta rap was ruling the hip-hop charts, there was a sub-culture of hip-hop acts spreading peace: acts like De La Soul, Black Sheep, and A Tribe Called Quest. Hip-hop crew Arrested Development was the only one repping the South, and they were one of the most successful groups. In '93, the group won two Grammys.
<br> Essential listening: "3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of…
Source:Artist Promotion
4 of 10
4. Ghetto Mafia
Ghetto Mafia, composed of Nino and Wicked, was one of the most constant rap groups of the '90s, putting out four albums in the span of four years. Their last album together, 1998's "On da Grind," was the only album to chart.
<br>Essential listening: "On da Grind"
Source:Artist Promotion
5 of 10
5. Hitman Sammy Sam
Rapper Hitman Sammy Sam scored his first major hit in 2003 with "Step Daddy." That's more than a decade after he hit the underground scene in ATL with the Big Oomp Records label.
<br>Essential listening: " Last Man Standing"
Source:Artist Promotion
6 of 10
6. Cool Breeze
Cool Breeze doesn't get the recognition he deserves. The Dungeon Family member not only invented the "Dirty South" term, but he was the originator of trap music (not the DJ shit either; we're talking about rap music specifically about drug dealing). Every major trap rapper from T.I. to Young Jeezy has some Cool Breeze in him.
<br>Essential listening: "East Point's Greatest Hit"
Source:Amazon
7 of 10
7. Witchdoctor
If you listen to those great Outkast and Goodie Mob albums from the '90s, there's someone you'll always hear: Witchdoctor, who, alongside Cee-Lo, was the spiritual backbone of The Dungeon Family. Witchdoctor's debut album, "A S.W.A.T. Healin' Ritual," has some of the best Organized Noise production ever.
<br>Essential listening: "A S.W.A.T. Healin' Ritual"
Source:Amazon
8 of 10
8. Raheem The Dream
Raheem The Dream had some of the coldest songs about the ladies ever. Although mainly a local act, Raheem's influence can be heard today. (Migos' "Freak No More" is a remake of a Raheem song.)
<br>Essential listening: "Tight 4 Life" "
Source:Instagram
9 of 10
9. Pastor Troy
Since 1999, Pastor Troy has released albums and mixtapes at a frantic, Gucci Mane-like pace. Yet, the rapper never had a song truly break out. (The closest was the Timbaland produced "Are We Cuttin'.") "Vice Versa" is truly one of the greatest Atlanta rap songs of all time.
<br>Essential listening: "Face Off"
Source:Artist Promotion
10 of 10
10. Field Mob
Field Mob isn't actually from Atlanta — they're from Albany, which is an hour away — but we included them because they are a criminally underrated Georgia act, despite the fact that they had some singles that charted ("Sick of Being Lonely" and "So What" come to mind).
<br>Essential listening: "From tha Roota to tha Toota"
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Everything You Need To Do & See At Atlanta’s A3C Festival & Conference This Week was originally published on globalgrind.com
