Cover Stories
How Michigan rapper BabyTron broke the internet with witty bars and a throwback sound
If you’ve ever been invited to Lando Bando’s Hip-Hop Lab, that means your life is definitely going in the right direction. The former Metro PCS phone store on Nine Mile in Warren now serves as a dedicated workspace for Bando’s weekly podcast, and is also home to his music label the Hip-Hop Lab Records. Some…
In a world of soulless EDM, Ash Lauryn keeps the spirit of Detroit house alive
Long before she ever started DJing, Ash Lauryn was a fan. She says she first started exploring the scene around the new millennium with her sister, whose Wayne State University roommate was a raver. “I was like middle-school, ninth-grade age,” she says. “And I’ve been into the music literally ever since then.” She adds, “I…
Now in L.A., genre-bending singer Sam Austins is blasting off to new heights
When we connect with Sam Austins via Zoom, it’s on the heels of some exciting news for the 26-year-old singer. The day before, it was announced that Austins would perform as part of the 2022 Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, where he joins a stacked bill that includes big-name acts ranging from Metallica to Dua Lipa.…
Southwest Detroit rapper SouFy brings Indigenous issues to the forefront
Anishinaabe rapper SouFy does not want you to romanticize Indigenous people as always being “sacred” or traditional. “We are also rappers, hip-hop artists, and graphic designers, and we order pizza from the same place that you do,” he tells Metro Times. “We’re staying grounded in our traditions, but we are still people living in this…
The 2022 new Detroit music issue
One of Detroit’s top exports has long been its music, and the region churns out more boundary-pushing artists than we can even keep track of. (Though we’ll die trying, dammit.) Every year, we catch up with newer artists in our new Detroit music issue — here are seven you should absolutely know about in 2022.…
Indie band Summer Like The Season’s DIY ethos is paying off
Self-described “bizarre-pop” outfit Summer Like The Season represents the many different talents of bandleader Summer Krinsky, resulting in music that is multi-faceted and ambitiously experimental. With a background in performing arts technologies and years of experience in DIY scenes in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Krinsky channels Summer Like The Season as an outlet for her…
Death metal trio Perversion is the filthiest of apocalyptic Detroit
What happens when three drunk, longhaired metalheads band together in Detroit’s seedy underground? Riffs that are pure aggression. Vocals that conjure and command spirits from the depths of hell. Pummeling drums, and a non-stop assault on your ears. In other words, what happens is Perversion. Perversion is a death metal band from Detroit that’s been…
Inside the colorful world of indie rock band the Doozers
Since 2015, indie rock band the Doozers has been one of Detroit’s best-kept secrets, though the secret is getting out. The band performed as part of the 2019 Mo Pop festival, and has booked lots of local shows, keeping pace with undeniable feel-good beats. The colorful world of the Doozers is made up of Sean…
Is Certapet legit? We Tried it, Here Is What We Think (Full Review)
There are many benefits that come with owning a pet and the loyal companionship they provide. For those suffering from mental health issues, an emotional support animal can be a comfort. This is where CertaPet comes into play. Emotional support animals know how to pick up on their owner’s subtle cues of an advancing mental…
Korn and Evanescence are coming to Pine Knob this summer
In case you’ve been feeling like a freak on a leash, Korn is coming to set you free with their 2022 summer tour. The nü-metal band will make a pitstop in Michigan at Pine Knob Music Theatre on Sunday, Aug. 21. In true mid-2000s fashion, Korn will be joined by Evanescence to wake your ass…
Detroit finally passes new adult-use cannabis ordinance
After a few setbacks, Detroit’s city council is moving forward with a new ordinance to finally allow adult-use cannabis sales in Michigan’s largest city. Detroit City Council approved the new ordinance on Tuesday in an 8-1 vote, with only Mary Waters voting against it. “I am thankful that Detroit will finally join the 23 municipalities…
Twin Peaks restaurant is coming to Auburn Hills
Sports bar and “man cave” restaurant Twin Peaks is opening a new location in Auburn Hills this Saturday. The restaurant’s American fare, beer, and craft cocktails will be available at 2443 N. Squirrel Road starting May 9. With more than 45 TVs and 32 beers on tap, the new Twin Peaks will offer plenty of…
Detroit Jazz Fest names Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés artist in residence
Acclaimed Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés will serve as the artist in residence for this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival, which plans on returning with live crowds in downtown Detroit for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic. In a press release, the festival bills Valdés as “the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz.”…
Chris Rock slaps a third Detroit date on his upcoming comedy tour
Quite possibly one of the most asked questions after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards is what would happen to the two comedians after. Well, it seems Chris Rock, his left cheek, and ego will be fine, as the comedian has added a third Detroit show to his “Ego Death World…
Dingell-led Medical Marijuana Research Act clears U.S. House
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Medical Marijuana Research Act, legislation co-led by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan, along with seven other bipartisan U.S. Representatives. The legislation would help facilitate the research of cannabis for medical research by establishing a separate registration process, directing the Food and Drug Administration to issue…
Ex-Detroit Tiger struggles to get by after giving life to baseball
Ike Blessitt gave his life to baseball. But his commitment to America’s pastime has cost him a lot. At 72, the former Detroit Tiger lives in a cramped house in desperate need of repair on the city’s east side. His health isn’t much better. In the past four years, he’s had a heart attack, a…
The WellFlower to open new recreational dispensary in Ypsilanti
The WellFlower is bringing its cannabis from the coast of Lake Michigan to near downtown Ypsilanti. The Manistee-based company is expanding and will open its second recreational dispensary at 1820 Washtenaw Ave. this weekend. “We’re delighted to bring The WellFlower cannabis experience to Ypsilanti. Ypsi is a community that’s embraced and welcomed cannabis and our…
In ‘Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,’ three stories of chance collide
No filmmaker I can think of had a better past year-and-change than Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, an enviable feat in our stricken time. The director and co-writer of Drive My Car, co-writer of the sublime Hitchcockian thriller Wife of a Spy, and solo writer-director of Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy’s done more and better work through a…
Whitmer vetoes bill to suspend state’s gas tax beginning in 2023
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed legislation Friday that would have suspended Michigan’s 27-cent-per-gallon tax on fuel for six months. Whitmer noted last month that the bill would not have gone into effect until 2023 as the Michigan Legislature lacked the votes to give the legislation immediate effect. To receive immediate effect, House Bill 5570 would have…
Michigan good-government groups: check your districts before election time
New Michigan voting district mapswent into effect last week, and officials now are working to update the voter rolls. Despite ongoing litigation, the Bureau of Elections and Secretary of State are making the necessary changes to the qualified voter file – the database that ties cities and townships to statewide voter registration files. One lawsuit…
More Van Gogh, Hash Bash returns, and the death of a beauty icon: The top 10 headlines of the week
This week, our readers, along with the rest of the makeup and beauty industry, were shocked to learn of the death of celebrity makeup artist and native Detroiter, AJ Crimson. Hitsville, USA has been steadily working on an expansion plan and our readers were interested in how they could possibly work at the legendary blue…
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit gears up for spring season with film series on underground party subculture
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit will re-open for its spring season of art shows on Friday, April 8. One of the first exhibits waiting for visitors is a film series looking at Detroit’s underground art and party scene. A Look At is a series of films by Stableheed, a Detroit-based multi-disciplinary artist collective that…
U.S. House passes cannabis legalization — again
Cannabis prohibition is now quite possibly the closest it has ever been to ending in the United States — finally. On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve H.R. 3617, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act. The legislation passed 220 to 204, largely along party lines, with Democrats in support and…
Black-owned Detroit Pizza Bar opens in long-abandoned building
A new pizza spot is getting ready to open in a long-abandoned commercial building on McNichols Road. The Detroit Pizza Bar will open for a soft opening from 5-9 p.m. on Friday. The restaurant plans to officially open for business on Friday, April 8, according to a press release. The $1.3 million Black-owned restaurant was…
Detroit’s People Mover is coming back this April
Detroit’s old-school public transportation method is getting ready to make a comeback. The People Mover will resume service this month, after being on hold for nearly two years during the pandemic. Rides will be free for the first 120 days of service. While an exact opening date has yet to be announced, officials have said…
Rehab of historic Detroit jazz club the Blue Bird Inn enters next phase
Detroit’s historic Blue Bird Inn has a new lease on life. Once a jazz venue where legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis performed, by the early 2000s the building at 5021 Tireman Ave. on Detroit’s west side was abandoned, and later threatened with demolition. But now, the building’s prospects are looking up. The Detroit…
Celebrity makeup artist and Detroit native AJ Crimson has reportedly died
Detroit is a city known for producing many talents who go on to deeply impact and dominate whatever industry they choose to enter. One such industry is the beauty industry. While Detroit may have carried the crown of the hair capital of the world, when it comes to matters of the face, Detroit makeup artists…
Techno pioneer Juan Atkins added to Detroit’s Movement festival lineup
Detroit’s upcoming Movement music festival just got even bigger. On Thursday, organizers announced the addition of Juan Atkins to the fest’s lineup, who will perform what is being billed as a “40 Years of Detroit Techno” DJ set. Atkins is regarded as the “Godfather of Techno,” having released what is considered the first Detroit techno…
Joe Rogan announces second Detroit event due to popular demand
Joe Rogan is many things: a podcast host, a black belt in martial arts, a former reality TV show presenter, and a stand-up comedian. He’s also famously wrong about a lot of things: like ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment (according to the results of a recent study), saying the n-word, and the way he talks about…
Hip-hop and visual art fest Art, Beats, + Lyrics is coming to Detroit
The traveling pop-up Art, Beats, + Lyrics has been celebrating hip-hop and urban art in cities around the country for 17 years, but has yet to make it to Detroit. That will all change next week when the cultural celebration comes to the Eastern Market on Friday, April 8. Art, Beats, + Lyrics is a…
Detroit’s QLine extends free rides — again — and creates rewards program
Detroit’s QLine streetcar will remain fare-free for passengers, at least for now. After being down due to the pandemic, the QLine introduced free rides last September when it resumed service just ahead of the Dlectricity festival. The free rides were slated to end at the close of 2021, but contributions from the Penske Corporation and the…
Detroit Institute of Arts expands Van Gogh exhibit to include more than 70 works
We were already hyped for the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Van Gogh in America exhibit set to debut in October. Adding to the anticipation, the museum announced the exhibit has now been expanded to include more than 70 authentic Vincent Van Gogh works. The announcement comes on what would’ve been Van Gogh’s 169th birthday, Wednesday,…
Under new management, Detroit’s Anchor Bar reopens with tweaked menu (again)
After changing hands several years ago, Detroit’s iconic Anchor Bar is still tweaking its menu. The beloved bar announced that it will reopen next month with some new dishes — following similar announcements in 2019 and 2021. After closing for several months earlier this year, Anchor Bar is set to reopen with its new menu…
Ralph Godbee exits congressional campaign for Michigan’s newly created 13th District seat
Former Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr. has suspended his campaign for the newly drawn 13th Congressional District, saying there are too many candidates who could split the Black vote. “In an election cycle as truncated as this one is proving to be, I have enough support to split the African-American vote or siphon off…
Chris Rock adds second Detroit date following Oscars altercation
Interest in comedian Chris Rock has apparently surged following him getting slapped by Will Smith on live TV at Sunday’s Academy Awards — so much that Rock has added a second date to his upcoming Detroit tour stop. According to a press release sent Wednesday, the second Detroit date of Rock’s “Ego Death World Tour…
Last-minute court order saves many homeowners from tax foreclosures in Wayne County
A judge on Tuesday accepted Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree’s request to halt tax foreclosures for many owner-occupied homes. Sabree petitioned the 3rd Circuit Court to prevent foreclosing on houses that owe delinquent taxes from 2017 to 2019, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Delinquent homeowners now have until March 31, 2023 to make good on…
Last week proved just how illegitimate the Supreme Court is — and how much damage it can do
Amid the racist spectacle of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing and Ginni Thomas’ wackadoodle insurrectionist text messages, the Supreme Court’s alarming decision in a Wisconsin redistricting case didn’t get the attention it deserved last week. The unsigned shadow-docket edict was an exercise of raw power. The Court’s conservatives inserted themselves into a conflict between Wisconsin’s…
Ann Arbor gets illuminated, a time-warped ‘La bohème,’ a techno party, and more things to do in metro Detroit this week
Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Submit your events to metrotimes.com/calendar. Be sure to check venue websites for COVID-19 policies. FoolMoon and FestiFools Friday, 4/1 and Sunday, 4/3: Grab your glow sticks and head to Ann Arbor for this funky annual festival of art, light displays, costumes, and good old-fashioned merriment. FoolMoon is…
Trap Vegan carves out a plant-based oasis in northwest Detroit
I’m a carnivore who at times prefers a plant-based burger over a meat patty, but those that are worth mentioning can be hard to come by — for every spot that packs a fine patty (Chili Mustard Onions, for example) there are two serving duds. Trap Vegan, a new fast casual plant-based burger restaurant and…
‘Ahed’s Knee’ offers a self-reflective critique of Israel
Following a body of work that’s never shied from the political, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s latest, Ahed’s Knee, offers up his most unvarnished critiques yet of his native government. By working in autofiction, centering his work on a filmmaker as eager to address the weight and injustice of Israeli occupation as he, Lapid’s critiques are…
Free Will Astrology (March 30-April 5)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1904, it wasn’t illegal to use performance-enhancing drugs during Olympic competitions. Runner Thomas Hicks took advantage of this in the marathon race. The poison strychnine, which in small doses serves as a stimulant, was one of his boosters. Another was brandy. By the time he approached the finish line, he…
