Rap duo Smif-N-Wessun, comprised of artists Tek and Steele, will bring its popular lyrical style to the Play Circle Theater on Feb. 13, 2025, at 8 p.m., as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s (WUT’s) performing arts series, the Black Box Sessions.
As Smif-N-Wessun celebrates 30 years of shaping the underground hip-hop scene, its Feb. 13 performance promises a blend of anticipated new material and previous projects, according to a press release from the Wisconsin Union. The Smif-N-Wessun artists released their first album “Dah Shinin’” on Jan. 10, 1995, and will release the title track and the first single off their new album, “Infinity,” on Jan. 10, 2025.
The rap duo draws inspiration from lived experiences growing up and coming up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville neighborhoods. Smif-N-Wessun infuses soulful beats, jazz and reggae into its hip-hop music-making. Some of the themes listeners will hear in its candid storytelling include disenfranchisement, resilience, and empowerment.
“This, and all of the Black Box Sessions, is a chance to experience hip-hop steeped in the history and context of the performing arts,” said Kate Schwartz, Black Box Sessions curator, Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee programming advisor, and WUT artist services manager. “Smif-N-Wessun is an example of the heart within hardcore hip-hop, and its energy and unfiltered storytelling transcend many elements of the medium.”
The Feb. 13 event replaces the previously scheduled performance by th1rt3en. A rescheduled date for th1rt3en is being explored but is not available at this time. Patrons who purchased tickets to attend the th1rt3en event can use their tickets to attend the Smif-N-Wessun performance.
