7:00pm - 9:00pm
BPM X WAG-Qaumajuq is returning on September 13 to celebrate Black music makers in Manitoba! Meet us in the Gallery for live music from hip hop artist YBK Shakur, pop/soul/jazz singer/songwriter Rayel, and DJ Riski. Plus we’ll have some delicious Jamaican patties courtesy of Pretty Baked for the mixer!
The evening will be intimate and interactive, allowing the artists to express themselves through stripped-down, visceral performances that will address identity and community, and celebrate the African Diaspora.
Join us for great music and people plus some delicious food!
ABOUT BPM
Launched in February 2021 and facilitated by Tomiwa Omolayo, BPM | Black Professionals in Music is a program via Manitoba Music that supports Black music professionals in Manitoba. BPM presents quarterly mixers for participants to meet and build their community and networks, followed by live performances, as well as other programming throughout the year. Participants can bring ideas, share their professional needs and barriers, and influence the future direction of the program. To get involved, please email bpm@manitobamusic.com. Participants must be residents of Manitoba and identify as Black musicians or music industry professionals.
Artists
YBK Shakur
YBK Shakur
YBK Shakur is a Hip/Hop artist and live performer. He describes his music as poetry in motion, trailblazing a subgenre of Hip/Rock or Rock/Rap with his live band. With his incredible storytelling, mixed with influences from his African culture and upbringing in North America. YBK has the ability to capture his audience with his deep resounding voice, entrancing its listener and taking them with him on a thrilling journey; painting beautiful pictures with his spoken word. YBK Shakur defines the YBK in his name as a euphemism that has many meanings. Firstly, YBK stands for “Young Black King/Kween”. and secondly, YBK stands for “You Born King/Kween”.
Rayel
Rayel
Rayel is a 24 year old Winnipeg- based black female artist. Her singing style is captivating as it encompasses all the influences from pop to soul to jazz, creating her unique sound. Rayel is a singer/songwriter who specializes in bluesy emotional ballads that reach deep into the soul, exploring the depths of heartbreak and love. In 2020 she released her first single called, “A Stroke of Colour” that dives into the topic of racial injustice and inequality. She then went onto release her next single called, “Scars” in February of 2023, that fully leans into her experiences with her faith and spiritual journey. Rayel has been passionate about music and bringing people together through it, ever since she was a young girl and that excitement and love for the craft has never gone away. She is now working on her next up coming releases that stay on the theme of heartbreak and love, as she is transparent about the questions, answers and deep reflections she has found in experiencing it this far.
DJ Riski
DJ Riski
DJ Riski is an international DJ with over seven years of experience, known for electrifying audiences with a unique fusion of Afro sounds, hip hop, RnB, and dancehall. With a passion for blending existing tracks into fresh, innovative sounds, Riski has rocked major stages alongside top Afrobeats and Amapiano artists like Ruger, BNXN, and the Major League DJs. Whether it’s a club night or a festival, Riski brings an unstoppable vibe that keeps the crowd moving all night long.
To plan your visit, check out wag.ca/visit
