On an unseasonably warm December Sunday, The Broadberry felt more like a backyard barbecue than a music venue. The vibe at Flag On the Moon 9, a massive Virginia hip-hop showcase, was convivial from its earliest moments. Doors opened a little later than advertised, but a handful of patient concertgoers, determined to relish every moment, snapped selfies with the marquee. Radio B, the veteran Richmond emcee and organizer, dapped up the early birds on his way to grab merch, offering each a genuine “Peace, thanks for being here.”
Created by Radio B and the Association of Great Minds — a Richmond media group that also includes rappers Nickelus F and Michael Millions, producer NameBrand, and creative director Monsée — the annual event serves as a celebration of this incredibly vibrant scene. Though it primarily focuses on Richmond culture carriers, the curators pull in bubbling talent from around the Commonwealth, promoting the kind of cross-regional collaborations that help otherwise insular music scenes grow and thrive.
For the past eight years, Flag On the Moon has felt like a victory lap for Virginia hip-hop, but 2024 was especially full of milestones: Richmond elder statesman Skillz — and, by extension, mastering engineer Michael Millions — earned a Grammy nomination for his spoken word album “The Seven Number Ones,” released in August. Charged Up Entertainment held its inaugural Charged Up Fest, a sprawling, multi-day festival that culminated with a massive grand finale at The Broadberry. Nickelus F established Trick Dice Records and released the excellent, self-produced “MMCHT!” in March, cementing his status as an underground legend. And prolific collective Mutant Academy finally dropped their group effort, “Keep Holly Alive,” to widespread critical acclaim (founding member Henny L.O. could be seen floating through the crowd at various points).
As guests arrived throughout the six-and-a-half hour concert, the night felt more and more like a family reunion: Different permutations of friends posed for pictures, cups of liquor were disseminated and raised in cheers, and the catch-up conversations by the bar blended with booming beats from the stage, coalescing into a lively, pleasant hum. The joy was palpable; we were here to carouse and revel in each other, to shed some of the stress of a long year. Clenched jaws turned into broad smiles, tensed shoulders relaxed as hands stretched up to wave in the air. When hosts A.W.O.L. and Lady Savage asked how Richmond was feeling, the passionate response grew more deafening each time.
The show’s structure felt more akin to radio programming than a straight-ahead string of performances. The first hour was a combined DJ set by stalwart selectors Hip Hop Henry and Melodic, who mixed golden age classics like the Artifacts’ “Wrong Side of da Tracks” with local cuts like “2nd Scheme” by Monday Night. Recent RVA Rap Elite champions Tre St. Fauntleroy and B.D.M. briefly introduced their exciting, idiosyncratic styles, and the night closed with two blocks of sets from more established Virginia emcees.
The highlights were many: Tyler Donavan’s hyperkinetic self-actualization raps, Gritty City producer Fan Ran’s silent samurai presence, the crowd shouting along to the chorus of TROY’s Three 6 Mafia-esque “SLIDE.” Radio B, joined by a live drummer and guitarist, debuted over half of his forthcoming album, “The Internet Is Fake,” occasionally bringing up vocalists to supply velvety hooks. A breathless energy crackled when Michael Millions and DJ Harrison took the stage, which saw Millions’ daughter Maliah providing backup adlibs and DJ Harrison providing psychedelic, peripatetic beats. Nickelus F, ever the seasoned vet, reached deep into his catalog, performing a solid chunk of songs with Ohbliv, including “Watermelon & Chicken” and “Yellow Gold,” closing with the booming “Walls of Jericho” from 2015’s “Triflin’.” During Ohbliv’s solo set, I walked to the merch area to lean against one of The Broadberry’s storied support beams and watched as Michael Millions darted around the room, head bopping. The man next to me caught his eye, pointed at the stage, and declared, “He’s spazzing!” “I don’t go to church,” responded Millions. “I just go see Ohbliv play.”
The most striking and inventive moment of the night was the Live Mixtape Session, a cypher-like jam in the middle of the show wherein a whole slew of artists each played a couple of songs. The entirety of Flag On the Moon is dedicated to the diversity of styles that abound in the scene, but the Live Mixtape Session was an especially powerful reminder of just how robust it is. There was Zuri’s bright jazz rap, Kaay Taurus’s smoldering vocals, a vicious ’90s breakbeat groover from Cane and Easalio. The packed stage and a solid amount of the crowd sang along with T.R.I.G. during local hit “The Mix Up,” and DuctTape Jesus brought an unpredictable punk energy, snatching off his shirt and jumping into the crowd. For the finale, Big No and Noah O of Charged Up Ent unleashed two of their most potent anthems, “Fawk RVA” and “Uncle Phil.” The bass pressed against the rafters, and snares reverberated through the walls; a less sturdy building could’ve been toppled by the sheer force of those eight minutes. As the stage emptied and the crowd shuffled back to the bar, the chatter grew again, full of praise and excitement for a few more hours of hometown heroes. There was a broad consensus that we were all here for each other, that we are all we have.
[More images below from the celebratory night]
