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Concerts

André 3000 Will Play His First Toronto Show in a Decade at Toronto Jazz Fest This Summer

The influential hip-hop artist will bring his flute-forward experimental solo album, New Blue Sun, to Toronto Jazz Fest. He'll perform at Massey Hall in June, marking his first Toronto show in a decade.

André 3000

André 3000

Dexter Navy

The wind is blowing André 3000 to Toronto this summer. The seven-time Grammy winner, known for his work in hip-hop duo OutKast, will perform his flute-forward solo debut New Blue Sun at Massey Hall during Toronto Jazz Fest in June, marking his first Toronto performance in a decade.

Last fall, New Blue Sun became the first instrumental album to chart on the Billboard 200, where it hit No. 34. The album's twelve-minute opener, "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a 'Rap' Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time," also charted at No. 90 on the Hot 100, breaking the record for longest Hot 100 debut.


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The influential and adventurous artist just wrapped up a tour of New Blue Sun live, taking it from New York to Los Angeles, and he'll get the band back together for his Toronto Jazz Fest performance this summer.

His concert is the latest big announcement for Jazz Fest's 2024 season, which is set to feature a host of other high-profile performers including Australian jazz-funk group Hiatus Kaiyote, American band Lake Street Dive, Canadian saxophonist Colin Stetson, New Orleans' famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band and UK drummer and composer Yussef Dayes. Toronto's popular African diaspora party Kuruza will also get a major showcase. Find the full lineup at torontojazz.com.

Toronto Jazz Fest runs from June 21 to 30 this year. André 3000 performs at Massey Hall on June 28. Pre-sale for his show starts on the Massey Hall website tomorrow (Mar. 21), with the code TOJAZZ.

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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