{"id":361611,"date":"2026-08-03T15:41:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T15:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/361611\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T15:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T15:41:14","slug":"photos-crowbar-ends-20-year-run-in-ybor-city-with-a-showcase-of-tampa-hip-hop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/361611\/","title":{"rendered":"Photos: Crowbar ends 20-year run in Ybor City with a showcase of Tampa hip-hop"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ADynasty plays Crowbar in Ybor City, Florida on July 31, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

Last week, Crowbar<\/a> co-founder and co-owner Tom DeGeorge said the last few shows at his now-shuttered venue were as close as someone could get to experiencing death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey say they see the bright light, and all of a sudden they\u2019re surrounded by everyone they\u2019ve ever loved. That\u2019s literally how I felt,\u201d DeGeorge told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay last Monday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Four days later, it was an entire community\u2019s turn to see the light when friends from two decades of concerts converged at 1812 N 17th St. for what ended up being a joyous reunion\u2014and reminder that the scene must go on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Talib Kweli was the last performer<\/a> to hit the Crowbar stage in the bleary moments of early Saturday morning, and he sent the place off in style, bringing out Havoc from Mobb Deep and running through a litany of hits. In a post last weekend, the 50-year-old legend of hip-hop called Tampa\u2019s energy \u201cmagnetic and electric.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe hiphop community there is powerful. They call out the nonsense too! Thank you for the solidarity and thank you James Sandman,\u201d he added. Sandman is widely known as Tampa\u2019s Godfather of hip-hop. The Illsboro Records boss<\/a>\u2018 relationship with DeGeorge goes back to the early-2000s when the tampahiphop.com message board and shows inside DeGeorge\u2019s Masquerade Infinity Room were rites of passage for any self-respecting local rap head. Last Friday, Sandman, who\u2019s been putting on rappers whether they\u2019re Wu-Tang or the kid who makes sandwiches in the daytime, opened the night by welcoming a stacked roster of acts who helped shape Crowbar over the last two decades. Perception brought out a live band, and so did Queen of Ex who showcased a power and prowess unmatched in the local scene. Even Dynasty, a Tampa expat now based in L.A., returned with her impeccable, inimitable technique and aura.<\/p>\n

Before Sandman played The Beatles \u201cLet It Be\u201d and Gary Portnoy\u2019s \u201cCheers\u201d theme song to end the night, DeGeorge announced plans to look for a new venue to own outright.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Until then, as Dynasty reminded the crowd, it\u2019s important to keep pushing.<\/p>\n

All photos by Dave Decker for Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"ADynasty plays Crowbar in Ybor City, Florida on July 31, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n

This article appears in Jul 30 \u2013 Aug 05, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\t