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Trade School is thrilled to celebrate its return to operations following the Eaton Fires with a special performance by the garden state gargoyle himself, Fatboi Sharif & Icky Reels. The evening opens with Los Angeles' own salenta + topu, a piano and cello duo whose unique recontextualization of Classical, Jazz, and Improvisation has been hailed as "gorgeously serne" (Boomkat). Los Angeles polymath Rhys Langston follows, a double threat on production and the mic whose work has been described as "chill yet fractured, playful yet deep" (Stereogum). We close the evening with our special guests, Fatboi Sharif & Icky Reels, who will also be starting a three-day tour of the West Coast. This is a rare opportunity to see both of these incredible artists and it is not to be missed.
Underground, experimental, abstract hip hop
Fatboi Sharif (from Rahway, NJ) has a style of his own and time after time with each release continues to create his own genre that intrigues and pushes boundaries equally. With a force of energy his stage performance is trance like how it keeps the crowd on the edge of there seat with each moment.
Icky Reels (aka Ay Fast) is a producer and visual artist crafting warped, futuristic beat music that blends experimental hip-hop, IDM, and ambient noise into something wholly his own. Praised by The Wire as “constantly thrilling and completely compelling,” his debut for Tygr Rawwk, Plips, was named the #1 electronic album of 2021. Known for unpredictable sound design and surreal textures, Icky has collaborated with artists like Beans, Fatboi Sharif, Hemlock Ernst, and ELUCID. Whether on stage or in the studio, he continues to push sonic boundaries with a distinct style that’s both chaotic and deeply melodic.
Rhys Langston Podell is a musician, visual artist, and writer born, raised, and based in Los Angeles, California. Publications such as the NY Times, the LA Times, AFROPUNK, LA Weekly, STEREOGUM, and SPIN have praised his multimedia efforts. Notable projects include 2020's dissertation and musical album Language Arts Unit: a Rap Textbook and 2022's Grapefruit Radio, which melded his outré rap, visual art, and absurdist prose. Ever composing and plotting between disciplines, he remains the poet laureate of his living room and has a higher vertical leap than your favorite rapper.
korean american
i like to document and collaborate.
love experimenting with instrumental texture and rhythm.
composed music for netflix: 3 part docuseries ‘jeen-yuhs’ (kanye trilogy), HULU 4-part series ‘life after baywatch’ BET’s muhammad ali the people’s champ. etc.
We do solidarity projects.