Source: Theo Wargo / Getty
Ever wondered why music from Detroit and the Bay sound so similar? Well, Bay Area’s Larry June and Detroit’s own Babyface Ray will face off in Red Bull’s highly anticipated 2022 US lineup for Red Bull SoundClash.
The series returns this Fall to give audiences and musicians alike a once-in-a-lifetime live music experience where two artists push their artistic boundaries to compete across elaborate opposite stages, with the audience deciding the winner of each round based upon their applause using a decibel reader.
Red Bull SoundClash returned last year after a 10-year hiatus. Now, the exciting event is heading to three culture-defining US cities featuring Larry June vs. Babyface Ray in San Francisco and Detroit and Gary Clark Jr. vs. Paul Wall in Houston.
The distinctive live set-up, inspired by Jamaican sound clashes, brings together top talent across mainstream and underground music to create regionally relevant shows that honor the artists’ local communities and heritage. Since it was first held in the Netherlands in 2006, there have been 80+ Red Bull SoundClash events worldwide featuring renowned artists like Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and Erykah Badu.
This year Red Bull SoundClash is bringing something new with its dual-city showdown to celebrate the rich musical bond and distinctive flair of two major rap capitals in Detroit’s resurgent music scene and the Bay’s historic nonconformist sound.
Fans can catch Babyface Ray facing off with the Bay Area’s Larry June first in the Motor City on October 15th, and then again for an encore battle in The Golden City on November 3rd.
Both shows will feature the first live performance of “Extra of Um” – their first-ever collaboration track that was released on Larry’s new album Spaceships on the Blade last month.
Larry posted a video on social media expressing his excitement for the upcoming battle.
He wrote, “It’s always love for the D, but You know we gotta do it real big, very organic, for the City. Numbers. Yeehee. Good job Larry! Good job Red Bull!”
Babyface Ray chimed in with, “I’m just excited to put on for the D and show the world what we all about. History in the making! It’s gonna be something special, for sure. We wanna thank Red Bull for putting us on to this.”
Independent record label EMPIRE, where both Larry June and Babyface Ray are signed, are ecstatic to partner with Red Bull for this unique format. The label’s founder, Ghazi, says, “EMPIRE is excited to partner with Red Bull for a super dope experience showcasing the raw talents of Larry June and Babyface Ray. They are both deeply rooted in their hometowns of San Francisco and Detroit, which are core to the DNA of their music. We can’t wait to be a part of it all.”
Check out details about the shows below:
DETROIT | October 15th: Babyface Ray vs. Larry June
Venue: Russell Industrial Center
Red Bull SoundClash celebrates the culture-defining sounds of Detroit and the Bay in this two-part face-off, first happening in Ray’s Motor City hometown. These two talents will also perform their exciting new collaborative single “Extra of Um” onstage for the first time, while exploring the sounds and artists that defined who they are.
SAN FRANCISCO | November 3rd: Larry June vs. Babyface Ray
Venue: The Regency Ballroom
The second round of the Detroit to the Bay showdown heads to June’s hometown at the stunning Regency Ballroom where only one can be crowned king of the Red Bull SoundClash. Fans should expect some exciting special guests and more onstage surprises.
