Pusha Preme says he's headlining the 'first ever' Afro-symphony in Tampa

Pusha Preme Credit: Photo by Jason Ryan c/o Gasparilla Music Festival

Masked rapper or maestro? Pusha Preme isn’t conducting, but he is orchestrating a collision of musical genres.

The Tampa artist announced via social media on Thursday that next month, in partnership with The University of South Florida, he’ll debut what he calls the city’s first Afro-fusion Symphony–a live orchestral performance blending hip-hop, soul and classical music. The night pairs Preme with Mister Wagner, The Get Down Band and Same Day Orchestra for a genre-fluid concert that leans into storytelling and instrumentation.

Preme, who is currently only giving tickets out via Instagram DM, frames the event as both a creative milestone and a tribute to Tampa’s Black artistic legacy. The show draws inspiration from the cultural impact of Harlem’s Renaissance era, reimagined through a Southern lens.

The “dress to impress” show is hosted by the Buck Wit Me podcast and radio personality, Bab.

“Tampa: Harlem of the South” happens Saturday, Feb. 28, from 7-11 p.m. at USF’s Barnes Recital Hall in Tampa.

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.