R&B group SWV performs for the crowd during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. Their hit single “Weak” spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.
A soulful spirit filled Texas Hall on Friday night with R&B and gospel acts at Rhythm & Soul Fest.
Students, alumni and Arlington residents packed the venue for a nostalgic lineup, featuring gospel singer Le’Andria Johnson, hip-hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh and R&B group SWV, blending the genres to celebrate Black culture.
Gospel singer Le’Andria Johnson sings in the crowd during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. Johnson is a Grammy Award winner.
The night kicked off with Johnson touching the crowd with the song “Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus)” and other gospel songs.
Fresh followed her, hyping the audience with music once played at cookouts now sung by a new generation. He is known for establishing the notorious dance move the “Dougie.”
Known as a pioneer in hip-hop, Fresh reflected on how his music shaped the genre.
DeSoto, Texas, resident Shanta Alexander poses for a photo during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. The lineup included SWV, Doug E. Fresh, and Le’Andria Johnson.
“I feel like we contribute because this is a multimillion-dollar business,” he said.
For concert goers, the event was more than entertainment; it symbolized validation.
Corey Bennett, who works in the Office of Information Technology, said being at an event catered to Black culture felt good.
Radio personality Lady Jade speaks during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. Lady Jade is known for her work on K104 FM, a Dallas-based R&B and hip-hop radio station.
“It’s great to look around and see people like me just being themselves and having a good time, especially given everything else that’s going on. It’s a safe place,” Bennett said.
Others shared a similar sentiment, as they embraced being in a space with Black culture.
Rapper and beatboxer Doug E. Fresh raps during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. In 2019, Fresh won the American Beatbox Lifetime Achievement Award.
UTA alumni Victoria Davis said she loves that UTA is continuing to provide a space for the Black community.
The members of SWV said seeing younger generations connect to their music felt refreshing.
Their performance portrayed the passing down of R&B to younger listeners, many of them singing along to “Rain” and “Weak.”
Rapper and beatboxer Doug E. Fresh performs during the Rhythm & Soul Fest on Feb. 20 at Texas Hall. Fresh is known for being a human beatbox.
Nursing junior Sinalena Manisela said events like this at UTA are important to sustain culture.
“To keep the history going, to keep the culture going, to keep it alive,” Manisela said. “To remember our past and to utilize it for the future.”
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