L.A.’s Broad Hosting J. Dilla Tribute With Moodymann; Flo Milli As Part of Summer Concerts Series

The Broad, Los Angeles’ acclaimed contemporary art museum, will host two consecutive days of phenomenal music programming this Friday and Saturday (July 18 & 19), as part of its “Summer Concerts at The Broad” series. On Friday, the museum will host “Dilla’s House,” a performance helmed by Detroit DJ extraordinaire Moodymann, which will pay tribute to the late-great and pivotal Motor City producer J. Dilla, (a.k.a. James Dewitt Yancey, a.k.a. Jay Dee, Feb. 7, 1974 – Feb. 10, 2006). And on Saturday, Flo Mili, along side Fousheé and METTE, will perform in conjunction with a special exhibition, “Mickalene Thomas: All About Love”. Both shows center on “empowerment, joy and Black creative voices.”

Moodymann’s ensemble performance will celebrate the pioneering producer J. Dilla, who would have turned 50 this year, with artists who knew and worked with him, were inspired by his music and exemplify his spirit of music cross-pollination. The show will feature Detroit icons Dames Brown on vocals and Dez Andrés on the decks along with and Mark de Clive-Lowe on keys and beat machines. Warming up is LA’s own DJ Ashley Younniä, local music maven DJ Rashida and hosted by The Yancey Boys AKA Illa J + Frank Nitt. The event is co-curated by Mahogani Music and Fusicology

Flo Milli, who performs Saturday with Fousheé and METTE, is a rising star and force in contemporary rap music, Hailing from Alabama, she rose from viral TikTok sensation in 2018 to Best New Artists designation by B.E.T in 2020 to getting a No. 1 at Urban Radio hit this year for her hit “Never Lose Me.” Flo dropped her latest album Fine Ho, Stay (RCA) in March and is currently a special guest on Gunna’s “The Bittersweet Tour.”

Also on the night’s bill is Grammy-nominated songwriter Fousheé, whose genre-bending repertoire melds alt-rock and soul, and METTE, a boundless artist unrestricted by the need to align with one genre, whose creativity earned her an Ivor-Novello nomination for her song, “Mama’s Eyes.” 

Flo Mili’s performances aligns with The Broad’s Special Exhibition: “Mickalene Thomas: All About Love,” which celebrates Black feminist creative practices and critical perspectives which focuses on concepts like communal care and thinking about love in new and profound ways. Within the context of Thomas’s international exhibition comprising over 20 years of her work, the Broad’s accompanying programming includes therapeutic workshops, comedy and a night of films by LGBTQIA+ directors centering on women and Black and queer creative voices.

“We’re thrilled to work with The Broad on this special artist event in celebration of the incredible work of Mickalene Thomas,” Flo Mill’s label RCA said in a statement. “We believe deeply in the intersection of art and music and our participating artists, Flo Milli, Fousheé and METTE are true creatives, visionaries, songwriters, and performers. We look forward to a continued partnership with the fantastic team of curators at The Broad as we work together to bring art & music to life in new and innovative ways.”

The Broad’s Concerts Series is programmed by Ed Patuto, Director of Audience Engagement, and Darin Klein, Assoc. Director of Events & Programming, and takes place at the museum’s East West Bank Plaza at the First Floor Galleries. The concerts are all ages and tickets include access to The Broad’s galleries, including the Mickalene Thomas installation

The Broad’s mission is to make contemporary art accessible to the widest possible audience. Founded in 2015 on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum offers free general admission and presents an active program of special exhibitions and innovative live events, all within a landmark building designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The Broad is home to the Broad collection, one of the world’s leading collections of postwar and contemporary art, which continues to grow as new artists and artworks are added.

The Broad will break ground on a 55,000 square-foot expansion in early 2025. 

The plaza’s sponsor, East West, provides financial services that help customers reach further and connect to new opportunities. East West Bancorp, Inc. is a public company (Nasdaq: “EWBC”) with total assets of $68.5 billion. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, East West Bank, is the largest independent bank headquartered in Southern California, and operates over 120 locations in the United States and Asia.