Big Boogie & GloRilla Celebrate the 901 Narrative in Downtown Memphis

By: Brink Young

September 2nd, 2024

MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

Big Boogie Performing at 901 Day On Beale Street In Memphis, TN (Photo by Brink Young/BrinkTV Show)

GloRilla on stage receiving the key to the city of Memphis at 901 Day in MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

GloRilla recieves the key to the city at 901 Day On Beale Street In Memphis, TN (Photo by Brink Young/BrinkTV Show)

If you’re not a Memphis native or spent an extended length of time in the Bluff City, please allow me to assist you with understanding 901 Day. September 1st isn’t a federal holiday, and there aren’t any significant historical happenings on this date to celebrate. 901 Day is a celebration of Memphis culture backed by Memphis’ infamous 901 area code. While May 22nd is the official bday of the Birthplace of Rock n Roll, September 1st feels more like our city’s birthday. It’s a day where our culture is recognized, celebrated, and rewarded for overcoming obstacles that this city is known to produce. It’s no secret that Memphis is riddled with crime & lacks opportunities that most other secondary cities are afforded. Even members of our local news viewing audience feel that the plagues of Grind City are self inflicted. However, their opinions don’t define Memphis. There is a different Memphis that people don’t talk about often. A Memphis that exhibits togetherness, commonality, and peaceful assembly. Sounds like a mega church right? Ha! Two primary entities that bring Memphis together are Sports & Music. Fans of all ethnicities rally behind the Memphis Tigers’ football/basketball program(s). Memphians also pack out the FedEx Forum to cheer for our favorite underdogs the Memphis Grizzlies. From the roundball to the pigskin, fans agree that it’s Memphis VS Everybody. The second primary entity known for uniting our city is without question: Music. No matter if it’s the blues on Beale Street, or the festivities that ONCE WAS the Memphis In May Beale Street Music Fest, the city of Memphis has a profound attachment to Music.

Mayor Paul Young on stage at 901 Day in MEMPHIS, TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

Mayor Paul Young on stage at 901 Day On Beale Street In Memphis, TN (Photo by Brink Young/BrinkTV Show)

901 Day proved that as over 8,000 Memphians were front and center for a FREE concert featuring legendary Hip Hop crooners Al Kapone, Kinfolk Kia Shine, LaChat, Drumma Boy, Kinfolk Thugs, Big Boogie, & MORE!! The event (main stage) also featured a jookin battle, flash mob performance, & a surprise performance by Grammy Nominated Rapper GloRilla. This was an arena level concert delivered to the beautiful people of Memphis, TN at no cost. For the people complaining in favor of indie artists, 901 Day also provided a platform via Alfred’s on Beale for up and coming artists to showcase their chops. That stage was vastly different from the main stage. These artists were grittier and clawing for an opportunity to become the next major artist out of Memphis. Although I arrived too late to witness all performances, I’m told that Trippy Tribbitt & Big Hunna set the tone for the Alfred’s audience. Both are high energy artists from the M with songs that will get you turnt up in no time. The show also featured a few familiar faces like Burial Boyz, Lisa Lucky, Kendrick P, & a grand finale by White Sosa. Which brings me back to the main stage outside. White Sosa was fortunate enough to perform on both stages. With people growing anxious to see Big Boogie, White Sosa performed “Pull Up” a song he’s featured on from Big Boogie’s catalog. "Pull Up" certainly relaxed the antsy audience. The combination of on again & off again showers, delays, humidity, and thousands of people crammed on Beale Street created an uneasy temperament. I stood next to a lady and her son who said that she had been standing in that spot for 3 hours and voiced her frustrations about the amount of people attempting to get backstage. She described it as a 'wave of people every 10 minutes' moving through the already standstill crowd trying every excuse known to man as to why they needed to get backstage. Security replied each time, “You can’t come back-stage without a back-stage pass”. This reoccurring statement was often followed by groans, and cuss words from the event attendees. In my honest opinion, event security, MPD, EMTs, and event staff did their job. They rushed into action whenever someone in the crowd fainted, reunited lost children to their parents, & even passed out water to people to help combat heat exhaustion. They displayed genuine care for the people, and I appreciated seeing that.

Big Boogie on stage performing at 901 Day in MEMPHIS, TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

Big Boogie Performing at 901 Day On Beale Street In Memphis, TN (Photo by Brink Young/BrinkTV Show)

But back to the show, Kia Shine performed a medley of his classics, as did Al Kapone, & Drumma Boy. The Jookin Warz Battle was phenomenal even with various issues transpiring during the battle. G-Nerd is doing an outstanding job with his brand. Soon after the jookin battle, the crowd became restless once more awaiting the performance of Big Boogie. There were many chants of “WE WANT BOOGIE” & “BOOGIE! BOOGIE!” going on. You gotta admire the dedication the audience is showing by waiting in the rain, body to body, enduring uncomfortable elements to see Big Dude grace the stage. This prompts DJ J Brown (Big Boogie’s Official DJ) to enter the dj booth and immediately begin setting up. While the dj was plugging in, L.Y.E. Owner Ladia Yates & Memphis Grizzlies emcee Sydney Neely relieved the crowd by letting them know Boogie is moments away from rocking the house. Both ladies did an awesome job warming up the audience. Memphis can be a tough crowd sometimes, so I definitely commend Ladia & Sydney on their stage presence. It was now time for the self proclaimed “Wizard of Memphis” to perform and the fans lost all composure as Big Boogie walked on stage. That level of screaming could be heard a mile away. I hadn’t heard that kind of fan reaction since Pleasure P’s performance at the 2008 K-97 Summer Jam! Big Boogie was very thankful to the fans showing much gratitude. He even stopped the show when a fan fainted and offered to give her a hug on-stage once she is revived. That’s class! He’s rich, he's also a celebrity who isn’t obligated to show concern to the fans or anyone for that matter. But Big Boogie is cut from a different cloth, he has a level of humility that the majority of the music industry doesn’t have. Once the medical emergency was deemed stable by EMT’s, Big Boogie resumed the show performing “Bop” (which was a crowd favorite). During Glorilla’s verse, Boog asked his daughter who was on-stage also to perform the “Bop Challenge” dance together. Raya appeared reluctant and shy to perform, until seconds later she became a ball of energy nailing each dance step from the “Bop Challenge” dance. The audience loved every second of this feel good moment by the father-daughter duo. Big Boogie concluded his performance with “Pop Out” which was unanimously what the crowd was waiting for. Immediately after Boogie left the stage he went through the front of the stage hugging fans and shaking hands. Thats Class!! Remember, He’s rich, he's also a celebrity who isn’t obligated to do that. But Big Boogie is cut from a different cloth.

Big Boogie & his daughter Raya on stage at 901 Day in MEMPHIS, TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

MEMPHIS,TN - SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024

Big Boogie holding his daughter Raya while Performing at 901 Day On Beale Street In Memphis, TN (Photo by Brink Young/BrinkTV Show)

Following Big Boogie's performance, people began exiting Beale Street, and were warned by Ladia Yates & Mayor Paul Young not to leave just yet.. They cheerfully exclaimed that there was one more “LEGEND” on the way to the stage. Alot of people weren’t convinced to stay until Ladia said “Alright, y’all gonna be mad when you see this on The Shade Room after it happens”…. This got the attention of the majority of the attendees causing them to sway their way back to the main stage. Mayor Paul Young began speaking on the importance of 901 Day as DJ Spaceage began setting up her equipment. Mayor Young then mentioned a list of attributes about the “LEGEND” who will soon make “HER” way to the stage. The anticipation grew like grass at an abandoned house. Finally, Mayor Paul Young gave the final clue as to who the “LEGENDARY” female performer would be which was the key to the city. Apparently, the key to the city was given to her in 2022 but she didn’t actually receive the key itself. GloRilla emerged to the stage to many screaming fans. Everyone was legitimately shocked to see Glo in attendance. Mayor Young touted about how hard it was to keep GloRilla being at 901 Day a secret. Glo began by thanking the city of Memphis, the mayor, and the fans promising to take the city with her everywhere she goes. GloRilla then went on to perform “Tomorrow”, “Yeah Glo”, & “TGIF” to close out 901 Day. Big Boogie & GloRilla 'Gave It' at 901 Day. It was a celebration of unity and Memphis vibes. It’s safe to say mostly everyone left Beale Street happy, entertained, & proud to be a Memphian. Personally, I enjoyed the event, was thankful there was no shooting, and thankful my car wasn’t broken into. Until next year, Love Memphis.

-Brink Young