Detroit’s rising rap-star Babyface Ray is bringing his 25-city Courtesy Of The Mob tour to South Street May 3. The “Like Daisy Lane” rapper will be performing at the Theater of Living Arts, and be joined by longtime friend, collaborator, and fellow Detroiter Veeze. 

The Motor City has re-emerged as a hip-hop powerhouse in recent years. Largely due to its street artists, and their laid-back portrayal of chasing money in Detroit's unforgiving climate over fast-paced piano melodies and heavy 808s that captured the ear of rap fans across the globe. Now, virtually every charting rapper has hopped on a “Detroit-type beat,” and many have turned towards the city’s lyricists for collaborations. 

Among the dozens of artists bubbling in the scene, BabyFace Ray stands out as the current face of Detroit rap. His 2022 albums FACE and MOB received critical acclaim, each one charting on the Billboard Top 100 while raking in millions of plays on streaming services. Publications including GQ, Complex, and Rolling Stone have deemed him the next rapper in line to reach superstardom.  

Although Ray is currently branded as a new artist to keep an eye on, the 32-year-old rap-veteran’s career dates back to the mid 2000s. He was utilizing MySpace-era music-sharing platforms Soundclick and Crushpot while a member of the legendary rap-group Team Eastside. The devoted rapper continued releasing music throughout hip-hop’s dozens of sonic phases, honing his style in Detroit’s insular hip-hop community, while building a dedicated fanbase. 

Babyface Ray’s unruffled descriptions of life on the east side of Detroit allowed listeners to watch his maturation over the years as an artist and person. Projects like MIA Season Vol I and MIA Season Vol II, and the Last One Left solidified his status as an underground legend by the end of the 2010s. Now, Ray has broken into the mainstream working with rap titans Future, Wiz Khalifa, Pusha T, and Lil Durk. However, he’s maintained firm roots in his city, continuing relationships with Detroit rap-pioneers Icewear Vezzo, 42 Dugg, GT, and Peezy.

The night at the TLA will also include a special guest set from Veeze, who established a cult-like following in 2019 after releasing his first and only project Navy Wavy. Many consider this tape one of the best to come from the contemporary Detroit rap scene. His unbothered delivery and effortless wordplay over dreamy production instantly won over listeners. Since then, Veeze has kept a distance from the spotlight, periodically releasing singles, as he builds anticipation for his follow-up project Ganger. Tracks like “Law And Order,” “Let It Fly,” and “A&W” showcase his magnetic personality and elite ear for beats. He’s also delivered show-stealing features on tracks alongside hip-hop heavyweights Lil Yachty, Lil Baby, and Pooh Shiesty.

Both Babyface Ray and Veeze are making significant strides in their careers while staying true to their Detroit roots. The duo bring a genuine rawness that accurately represents the promise of their city’s music to the Theater of Living Arts stage May 3. Concertgoers should expect to hear fan-favorites from both artist’s impressive discography, and their collaborative tracks with big names like Meg Thee Stallion and Gallery Dept. 

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m ($30-$89).

SEPTA is the PHILLY WAY TO GO to BabyFace Ray and Veeze at TLA on May 5th! Connect to Route 40 from the Broad Street Line at Lombard-South or to Route 57 from the Market-Frankford Line. Routes 12 and 47 also get you close. Plan your trip at ISEPTAPHILLY.COM/PLAN-YOUR-TRIP!