Spotify Launches ‘Most Necessary Live’ Regional Hip-Hop Shows: Exclusive

Spotify is launching its Most Necessary Live series of live shows highlighting regional rap scenes and rappers in various cities across the U.S., Billboard can exclusively announce Monday (July 24).

Serving as a physical extension of Spotify’s editorially curated Most Necessary playlist — dubbed as “the official voice of the next generation on Spotify” — Most Necessary Live celebrates some of the hottest emerging rappers featured on the playlist in real life and connects them with their top listeners through exclusive performances.

Most Necessary Live kicks off Aug. 2 in Houston, Texas with DeeBaby, Monaleo, That Mexican OT, Mike Dimes, KenTheMan and surprise guests.

“Regional rap scenes have always been the lifeblood of hip-hop, so we’re thrilled to kick off Most Necessary Live in Houston. As a physical extension of the playlist — it’s another example of how we’re continuing to support emerging artists at Spotify,” said Max Weinstein, hip-hop lead, artist partnerships at Spotify, in a statement. “A major collaborative effort across the music and marketing teams, we’re launching this showcase to highlight local artists and give fans a chance to see their favorite acts perform live. The team has been cooking this up for a while, so we’re excited to finally bring Most Necessary to life.”

Most Necessary Live will take place once a quarter and go through multiple U.S. cities. On-site experiences will also include merch and social-worthy photo moments.