St. Louis CITY SC and Smino: “Homegrown” Music Collaboration
Program amplifies five emerging local artists throughout the 2024 soccer season, including a special CITY SC showcase at Music at the Intersection’s Friday night festival kickoff
TONINA, LANI ROSE, MATT JORDAN, SMINO, ENVY AND BOWIE OF HAZMAT, AND BROCK SEALS. Image courtesy St. Louis CITY SC
St. Louis, Mo. – February 23, 2024 – St. Louis CITY SC and St. Louis native and rapper Smino will work together on an exciting new music collaboration: Homegrown. The partnership will elevate five emerging St. Louis musicians throughout 2024 with exclusive support, including access to Smino, performance opportunities and artist profiles, as well as inclusion in a special Friday night showcase as the kickoff to St. Louis’ premier music festival, Music at the Intersection.
“St. Louis’ distinct energy is led by the creators, thinkers, builders and doers who are propelling our CITY forward,” said St. Louis CITY SC’s Chief Brand Architect Lee Broughton. “Smino is a direct reflection of this spirit, and it is an honor to team up with him on Homegrown to bring more awareness to the massive amounts of talent we have here in St. Louis and amplify these local musicians as they continue to grow their crafts and make waves in our community and beyond.”
As part of the initiative, the Homegrown artists will take part in a discovery session with Smino, where he will provide valuable insights and expertise on how they can continue to build their careers and grow their art; perform at a 2024 CITY Block Party, the free concert series hosted by CITY SC on home matchdays; perform alongside a TBA headliner at the CITY SC-sponsored Music at the Intersection festival kickoff at The Big Top on Friday, Sept. 13; and be featured in CITY SC-led spotlights.
Handpicked by Smino, the Homegrown artists who cut across various musical genres include:
Brock Seals: A muralist, songwriter and rapper, Brock Seals’ honest lyrics and willingness to challenge the status quo has garnered a loyal following in his hometown and beyond. @sealsbrock
Hazmat: An all-female band whose pop-punk sound is a potent mix of raw emotion, infectious energy, and deeply personal lyrics, Hazmat draws inspiration from artists such as Paramore, Blondie, The Runaways and Bikini Kill. @hazmatstl
Lani Rose: Otherwise known as Myles Anderson, Lani Rose is a self-produced songwriter and storyteller whose goal is to share his story with the world through music. He hopes his vulnerability, raw lyrics and sounds inspire his audience. @itslanirose
Matt Jordan: A country artist making waves with his high-energy live shows and a heartland-rock-meets-country sound, Matt Jordan has garnered attention from Rolling Stone Country, CMT, Taste of Country and more, and released his second album “Low Lights” in February 2024. @mattjordanmusic
Tonina: An accomplished vocalist, bassist and songwriter whose musical upbringing resulted in an innate sense of rhythm, captivating melodies, extraordinary vocal prowess and profound song interpretation, Tonina’s sound spans multiple genres and is deeply influenced by her Black and Sicilian heritage. @iamtonina
Like CITY SC, Smino is committed to St. Louis and helping his hometown. The Homegrown collaboration comes on the heels of his annual “Kribmas” benefit show in December, which raised funds to give back to the community.
“These artists are super talented and represent the many sounds of St. Louis. All bring the good energy and vibes,” said Smino. “Music is my life, and it is important to me to support my krib, give back and inspire. Working with CITY is really special, and we will give these artists a new platform as they rise up in the music world.”
“CITY SC is a celebration of St. Louis, showcasing all of the remarkable attributes of our region like our people, our food, our art and our music,” said Matt Sebek, St. Louis CITY SC’s Chief Experience Officer. “With the help of Smino, this year we are raising the bar in our support of local artists and are pledging to continue to be unapologetically St. Louis.”
Smino will headline the free CITY Block Party on Saturday, Feb. 24, the club’s MLS home opening day. The Block Party begins at 4 p.m. on Lou Fusz Plaza, and will also feature Bo Dean and DJ Sol.
Music at the Intersection: Earlier this month, Music at the Intersection (September 14-15) announced its fourth annual lineup, featuring 50+ artists – including Black Pumas, Chaka Khan, Big Boi and Trombone Shorty – across four stages. The music festival takes place just blocks west of CITYPARK in the Grand Center Arts District neighborhood. New for 2024, Music at the Intersection is adding a special Friday night kickoff at The Big Top in partnership with CITY SC. The event will feature a TBA headliner in addition to CITY SC’s five Homegrown artists.
“Music at the Intersection pays homage to our city’s storied imprint on the American songbook, while also giving platform to a new wave of St. Louis artists,” said Chris Hansen, Executive Director of Kranzberg Arts Foundation. “CITY SC’s commitment to elevating and celebrating local talent aligns seamlessly with our long-term artistic and cultural vision. We’re proud to partner on Homegrown, alongside 2023 festival alumnus Smino, throughout the soccer season, culminating in what’s bound to be an incredible festival kickoff concert in September.”
Additional details, as well as ticketing information for Music at the Intersection’s kickoff at The Big Top, will be announced at a future date.
About St. Louis CITY SC:
St. Louis CITY SC, one of the few majority female-led ownership groups in all of professional sports, was awarded Major League Soccer’s 28th expansion team in 2019 and plays at CITYPARK, an STLMade 22,500-seat world-class soccer-specific stadium. CITYPARK is part of a new stadium district which includes a practice facility, team store and team headquarters all within the same 30+ acre urban campus in downtown St. Louis to help further the region’s continued growth and revitalization. @stlcitysc
About Smino:
Christened “one of hip-hop’s most refreshing voices” by Pitchfork, Smino is one of the game’s most dynamic musical disruptors. Raised in a family of musicians; the rapper, writer, and producer began playing drums in his native St. Louis at an early age. As an adult, he moved to Chicago where he was able to release his first two EPs, S!ck S!ck S!ck and blkjuptr. While making his presence known in both Chicago and the music industry, he simultaneously began philanthropy work in his hometown through the Kribmas foundation. Kribmas is dedicated to raising funds for the youth of STL through benefit concerts and other events that support the local community. In 2017, Smino dropped his debut album blkswn — hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the ‘40 Best Rap Albums of the Year.’ Following blkswn was the 2018 release of NØIR which landed on year-end lists from Complex, The Atlantic, REVOLT, and more. Between those critically acclaimed projects, he has generated over half-a-billion streams and counting in addition to selling out US headline tours in 2017 and 2019. In 2021, Smino released his latest creation, Luv 4 Rent, which boasts singles “90 Proof” [with J. Cole], “Pro Freak [with Doechii & Fatman Scoop], and “Matinee” [with Kal Banx]. @smino
About Music at the Intersection:
Music at the Intersection is a civic-led effort presented by Kranzberg Arts Foundation in partnership with Steward Family Foundation and The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis. First held in 2021, the festival tells the story of St. Louis’ musical, cultural and artistic heritage. It celebrates the city’s imprint on the American songbook, as well as the relationship St. Louis has with its Mississippi River roots. The festival aims to celebrate musical heritage, from the West African coasts to the Caribbean islands, up through the Mississippi Delta. Music at the Intersection honors the giants who shaped genre and sound - across blues, jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock n' roll - as it also calls up and gives platform to a new wave of artists.
