In a performance that was as much a cultural statement as it was a musical showcase, Chicago-based Ghanaian artist Queen Drie made a triumphant debut at Summerfest 2026, opening the T-Mobile Stage on Juneteenth. Summerfest, widely recognized by Guinness World Records as "The World's Largest Music Festival," is held annually at the Henry Maier Festival Park along the scenic shores of Lake Michigan. This year's...

Darkness can leave room for a joke, and heavy music can still move. On "Rustbelt Rejects", Akron artist Zmack puts that relationship to work through abrasive textures, grooves and odd humour. His original album brings hip-hop into contact with Memphis trap, Horrorcore, industrial, funk-metal and phonk. Yet the aim is not genre display. The range accommodates memory, loss, anger, pride, relationships and Irish-American identity. It gives...