Events . Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise w/ Buscrates, Nairobi, and Erika Denae J

Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise w/ Buscrates, Nairobi, and Erika Denae J

Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise are making their return back to Pittsburgh at Spirit's Lodge on November 17th featuring sets from Nairobi, Erika Denae J, and Buscrates! Join us for a night of spoken word, hip-hop, and soul.
Spirit Lodge (Downstairs)
21+
$10 Cover
7PM: Doors
7:30PM: Show
12AM: END
KUF KNOTZ
https://www.kufknotz.com/
Named Philadelphia Magazine Best Rapper of 2022,
Kuf Knotz Blends hiphop poetry with deep grooves of soul and beats sun kissed with the spirit of Lo-Fi & 90's era vibes , Kuf’s inimitable style focuses on unsubtle spirituality, that, like his music, focus on unity, positivity and creativity.
In 2008, the same year he opened for Bruce Springsteen, Kuf sang lead vocals on “Unstoppable,” a song created to mark the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. In 2010, Kuf recorded “Boombox Logic,” which was named the year’s best hip hop song by the Independent Music Awards.
His next venture, 2015’s A Positive Light,” reflected his carefully forged fusion of music styles. Kuf’s on-screen credits include a part on the hit FOX TV show “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” He appeared in a Domino’s Pizza commercial and was a cast member in a music-based reality show. Film and video are close to Kuf’s heart; he earned a degree in video production from the Art Institute of Philadelphia
Kuf has opened for The Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, Wyclef Jean, The Wailers, Arrested Development, Josh Ritter Robert Glasper, Robert Randolph, G-Love and others.
​His most creatively ambitious collaboration is with Christine Elise, the classically trained harpist with whom Kuf recorded three albums:
“Higher Grounds,” (2018),
“kƏ’myo ōnƏdē,” (2021) and “Hypnagogia” (2022).
Theirs is music with a mission; Kuf and Christine lead Higher Grounds music therapy workshops around the world,
from South Africa to Alaska.
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CHRISTINE ELISE
“Christine Elise” is classically trained harpist, pianist, and vocalist who has been consecutively touring across North America for the past four years. Studying music therapy at a masters level led her to find a passion for community music therapy. Christine has facilitated group sessions and workshops for professionals and clients in the USA, South Africa, Peru and Jamaica. She has presented at national, regional, and world music therapy conferences and written scholarly articles published by Music Therapy Perspectives. She has provided clinical supervision for undergraduate and graduate students at MusicWorks, Jamaica Field Service Project, Women's & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, NY, Warren Wilson College, and Immaculata University.
​She taught as an adjunct professor for the music therapy department of Immaculata University College of Graduate Studies and Boyer College of Music and Dance of Temple University for several undergraduate and graduate level classes.
Christine has composed for various organizations and institutions. Recent commissions include The Free Project Series, for Pennsylvania Humanities Council, What Does Freedom Mean to Me? as part of the The Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Club House Theme Song for AHA Studio for Integrated Therapies and over twenty original compositions for Autism Across the Globe, directed by Rima J. Irani or Lebanon.
​In 2018, Christine and Kuf founded a community music therapy outreach performance project called Higher Grounds Music, using the power of music, clinical training, and performance experience to foster personal growth. Working in a strength based model, the workshops/performances are designed to support participants in building skills to build confidence, increase motivation and drive and strengthen self-care skills.
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NAIROBI
www.queenofnairobi.net
Nairobi is a singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, poet, theatrical and creative director, teaching artist, visual artist, entrepreneur, and activist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a member of 1Hood Media, where she is blessed to use her art and empower others to use their voices, as she strongly represents her brand of “Individuality, Divinity, and Purpose.” She wants to inspire the youth to know themselves through God, embrace themselves, and to never stray away from their God given purposes. Her music is classic, purpose driven, and openly highlights social issues that she has overcame and is presently dealing with, such as sexual abuse, mental health, and body positivity.
In 2016, she won the August Wilson Monologue competition and as a result was awarded a $20,000.00 scholarship to attend Point Park University, where she received her BFA in Acting in the Spring of 2020. The same year she was named the youngest recipient of Pennsylvania’s Most Valuable Person on behalf of the mayor and the Bill Neal Foundation. In 2018, she was the youngest recipient honored by the Pittsburgh Public Schools during Black History Month for her work in art and activism. Through this, she was featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and WAMO, giving her access to new platforms in which she could continue to grow her following and make her presence in Pittsburgh known. She has also been featured in the Pittsburgh Courier, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper, NPR, CNN, and has performed on Broadway.
She was employed as a 2021 Teaching Artist for the University of Pittsburgh’s Art through Healing class for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, was one of the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Acting coaches for the 2021 Shakespeare Monologue Competition, and was awarded the Artivist grant of $1,500 from 1Hood the same year. In 2022, she was apart of the Kelly Strayhorn's Black Femme Music Artist Program, in which she was awarded $3,000.00 and headlined her own show for the Sunstar Festival in March, and in April of the same year, she debuted her first solo exhibition at Millie's, where her art focused on redefining negative stereotypes on Black hair. Currently, she is working on her album, "Mood Ring," which is set to release this year.
https://www.facebook.com/queenofnairobi
https://www.instagram.com/_queenofnairobi/
https://twitter.com/_queenofnairobi
https://youtube.com/channel/UCVP990o4CxmOc9BtjhVoC1A
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ERIKA DENAE J
WEBSITE: www.erikadenaej.com
CLOTHE ME STREAM LINK: erikadenaej.hearnow.com
Erika Denae J is a singer-songwriter, poet and creative entrepreneur who loves to encourage people with her gifts. Her debut single Clothe Me released Oct 21st & is, as she explains it; an insight into her healing process. As an aspiring producer who continues to reach new heights in her music & writing career, purpose is the one thing that continues to drive her journey.
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BUSCRATES
https://buscrates412.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/buscrates/
Buscrates - aka Orlando Marshall - is a DJ, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Pittsburgh. He draws influences largely from 90s hip hop and early-mid 80s electronic funk, which is evident in the boomy, swinging drums and bubbly Minimoog bass lines heard throughout some of his productions. He works locally and sometimes internationally either behind a pair of turntables spinning 45s or working his trusty Roland SP-404SX sampler and various other little portable gadgets at one of his beat sets. Some of his production credits include Phonte & Eric Roberson, Wiz Khalifa, and the late great Mac Miller.

Related Entities: Buscrates Spirit
Tags: Funk Hip Hop Soul