Austin, TX–After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the South by Southwest festival returned–and more than 20 Flint-based performing artists played the “Sound of Flint” official showcase at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas.

The Sound of Flint showcase was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio, the recording studio within the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village on the city’s north side.

After visiting the festival in 2019, Executive Director of SBEV and The Antidote Studio, Maryum Rasool, felt inspired to be a part of the next one.

“When we were planning this for months I thought that when it was over I’d be like, ‘Oh my god, you know, I’m excited it’s over,’ but I’m sad. I’m sad because it was such an amazing opportunity, amazing experience to plan it and work with the artists and get there, and then the build-up, and now that it’s over. It’s kind of like, aw, man, like, it’s over, we did it.” she said.

The daytime event took place on March 17, and in a matter of hours a taco restaurant in Austin felt more like an afternoon in Flint, but with a new audience.

“The vibe was very Flint, you know what I mean? That’s the best way to describe it, the music, the energy, it felt like home in a lot of ways,” said The Antidote Studio Music Program Coordinator, Jujuan Thorn.

The performances kicked off a little after noon, and the artists put on their best act. Hoards of Flint talent cycled through the stage with smiles on their faces, bringing the energy. Many of the artists performed songs together.

The Antidote Studio team (from left) Nygee Gant, Maryum Rasool, Kaylah Baker, and Jujuan Thorn, pose for a photo outside of Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas during the South by Southwest festival on March 17, 2022. The Flint, Mich. studio put on a ‘Sound of Flint’ official SXSW showcase featuring more than 20 Flint-based performing artists. (KT Kanzawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based rapper King Ca$hes performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)

“It was a lot of love down there. It felt like we were all together, and you know that’s kind of hard to do even in Flint. It’s hard to recreate a feeling like that. It was fresh. There was something new in that. I think it made all of us involved want to come home and work harder.” Thorn said.

The performing artists felt similarly. Flint rapper King Ca$hes said, “Mobbin’ together on 6th street promoting, telling other people down there who each other was … we wanted to share each other’s flyers, to just make it more of a group effort, that just brought us closer together. I feel more family-oriented now.”

“Even if we have our differences inside the city, when we go outside we move as a unit, collectively,” rapper Figga Da Kid said.

Antidote Studio’s Music Program Coordinator Jujuan Thorn (left) and Flint-area rapper Lil Lurka hang flyers in Austin, Texas for their event, the Sound of Flint official South by Southwest showcase on March 16, 2022. The team took to the streets to promote the show featuring over 20 Flint-area performers. (KT Kanazawich | The Flint Beat)
Antidote Studio staff hoists up a large Sound of Flint showcase banner outside of Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The showcase featured more than 20 Flint-area artists performing throughout the day. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)

Headlining the event were some of Flint’s top-selling rappers, Louie Ray and RMC Mike. Though they may be considered some of the pioneers of the popular ‘Flint sound’ the event proved that there is no one particular style.

“The sound of Flint isn’t one sound per se. That’s the whole irony of it. There is no sound of Flint. It’s everything that we do” Thorn said.

Rasool said she hopes the artists involved had some good takeaways from the experience.

“For a lot of the artists on the showcase, they never experienced South By, so I hope it widened their perspective or their view. They were able to make connections with artists around the world, some artists were able to secure other venues and shows, and perform in front of an audience that they may have not been able to get access to before, so it kind of widened their fan base,” she said.

The crowd moves to the “Sound of Flint” South by Southwest showcase on March 17, 2022. Over 20 Flint-area performing artists took the stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas for the show. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based rapper Figga Da Kid performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)

Figga Da Kid found his way to other stages in a non-traditional way. While getting a meal from a food truck he noticed a nearby speaker and microphone. He played a short street set and ended up securing more stages from people walking past.

With it being his third time at the festival, he said he felt like this year stood out.

“I feel like this year was our most impactful year as a city, not because we had our own stage, but because the artists were able to showcase their talent in the best way to me this year than in past years. Being able to maximize the amount of stages we were on and being able to network so we can get on more stages in the future,” he said.

Performing artist 616 sings on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. She, alongside over 20 Flint-area performing artists took the stage. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based artist Brelia Renee sings at the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. Brelia Renee found herself performing on a handful of stages during the festival. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)

Moving forward, the Flint artists are feeling inspired to work harder.

“I hope that the artists come back here realizing the world is a much bigger place than Flint and that it really takes getting outside of Flint to see that. I really hope people come back wanting to work harder, make connections, take more trips together, collaborate, and take their artistry a little more serious too.” Thorn stated.

Rasool said that everyone can look forward to more opportunities, clinics, and special events from The Antidote Studio.

“We definitely plan on doing South by Southwest 2023, and it’s going to be bigger, and better, as always. That’s our mantra”

You can check on up-and-coming The Antidote Studio events here.

Flint-based artist K2SG PMoe performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage on March, 17, 2022 at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas. The event was put on by Flint, Michigan’s Antidote Studio. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-area rapper Lil Lurka performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based rapper 7endo performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based artists Zero God and iSan perform on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based artists Tiera Santoya and RMC Mike perform on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based artist Taylor Tatum performs on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Flint-based artists Twicee and Jeff Skigh perform on the Sound of Flint South by Southwest showcase stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The show was put on by Flint’s The Antidote Studio and featured more than 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)
Some of The Antidote Studio staff and performing artists pose in front of the Sound of Flint stage at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2022. The Sound of Flint was an official South by Southwest showcase put on by the Flint-based recording studio, The Antidote Studio, which featured over 20 Flint-area performing artists. (KT Kanazawich | The Antidote Studio)