Kota the Friend is a kid from Brooklyn that loves art. He burst onto the music scene in 2016, helmed by his well-received debut EP, Palm Tree Liquor, which garnered praise from industry staples such as Billboard, XXL, RESPECT. Mag, and many others. This was around the same time that the multihyphenate started to see success with his "Lyrics to GO" series, securing a fervent fanbase for his subtitled rap videos. But before Kota became the enigma that he is today, he was finding his way through Clinton Hill, consuming art on different levels. His gift is that he knows how to execute a vision, backed by a worldview that sees the bigger picture in all things. His seminal debut album, FOTO, has a soulful texture and was anointed as "one of the best hip-hop albums of 2019" by Rolling Stone. In 2020, the Brooklyn MC was riding high from the momentum of his critically acclaimed sophomore LP, EVERYTHING, which arrived during the isolating lockdown of the pandemic. The album went on to debut at No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-hop Chart, peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums Chart, and earned Kota his first entry on the Billboard 200. The following year was no different, with a presidential cosign leading Kota's campaign for greatness. His track, "Lupita's Interlude," was the first song on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' inauguration playlist, which was curated by Emmy Award-winning actress Issa Rae. Further, UPROXX crowned Kota "one of the most commercially viable indie artists since Chance The Rapper," which signaled a breakthrough 2021 for the lauded scribe. Last year was highlighted by his third studio album, MEMO; followed by 2023's Lyrics to GO, Vol. 4, and his 18-track opus To See a Sunset (Deluxe) with Statik Selektah. On top of all this, as an independent artist, Kota has amassed over 700M+ streams to date.
I discovered Kota about 1-2 years back and he’s gotten me through so rough times. I really like that your music isn’ about street life. It has a lot more realness to it. Definitely gonna see you again if you’re anywhere near Seattel! ✌️
Absolutely amazing event to attend. The energy of the crowd and the performance not only from the openers but Kota themselves, indescribably beautiful.
Good venue. Great ticket prices. Drinks are reasonable cost and options were decent. No issues with security. Great local food and smoke shop nearby. Located around many boston University buildings. Only con is that they really need to steam wash the floors because some spots are so sticky you'll feel like a fly in a web. The wooden shelves to hold customer drinks are equally sticky. The concert did not start at the advertised time. Then the dj showed up and was doing his own thing for a bit. The opening act "price"was decently similar to kota in terns of lyric themes. Met him at his merch table later. Nice guy. Kota finally appeared and I enjoyed the show greatly. I have to say though I wasn't expecting kota to lack a backing band. Kota was just singing to the prerecorded background music. I hope he adds real musicians to his act in the future. I think it would be really good visually and sonically, especially for his style of music.
Had a great time at Paradise rock club! Chill vibes from Kota and everyone there! Would def go to another show
All you can ask for in a show, the opener had great energy and got the crowd warmed up. Kota played a lot of underplayed songs of his and newer releases during the F&F tour. Insane vibes helped deliver a great birthday weekend!
Kota’s music is not only dope and his flow buttery, it inspires seeking and mindfulness without sounding contrived. Seeing him live was a huge treat and I would recommend it! He connected with the audience between songs in a way that I’ve rarely witnessed in live performances. Kota acknowledged the exchange between the audience and himself, the connection that many people have to his music, and his gratitude for that exchange. I found myself beaming multiple times between songs as he interacted with the audience and gave people a chance to express themselves throughout the performance. Big ups to Kota, Audio King, and the opener- Price for a memorable show that left me stoked and uplifted.
I've been listening to Kota the Friend for 7 years now and his concert was everything I'd hoped and more. Venue was intimate and crowd was cool
His pure heart and genuine music created a uniquely beautiful experience. He raps from the heart and shares his beautifully uplifting message with all us. He invited some fans up on stage toward the end and they had the time of their lives. It was so beautiful. Thank you 🙏🏻
Kota's my favorite rapper of all time and I was so happy to be able to see his show! The crowd was hype, the bouncers did their job well while still being chill, the bartenders were such a good vibe, and Kota is an amazing performer. Gonna remember this concert forever!!
Seeing Kota the Friend is the best concert I have been to in a long time. Every moment of the concert was such a positive experience. The room was filled with flowers and love. His music pulled our hearts collectively into the present. I love Kota the Friend!
