With 2024’s SXSW official and unofficial events behind us, it’s time to look back on all the madness, chaos, and (above all) fun that went down in Austin, Texas this month. While the city was flooded with thousands of eager attendees channeling their passions across tech, music, and media, the third annual, Uproxx co-produced The Takeover event smashed expectations once again.
The two-day event series – produced by legendary hip-hop producer / Fresh Pair host Just Blaze, PaulSellsTX, and Uproxx – took over Summit Rooftop and Lounge and if you weren’t there…well, let’s just say that Jermaine Dupri left his party to come to this one. Rabbit Hole and Farmer’s Gin were onsite creating exclusive cocktails and pouring free tasting experiences for attendees, so no one was left thirsty while the programming unfolded across 48 hours.
Day one of the takeover – dubbed “Open House” – opened with a daytime panel hosted by Just Blaze and hip-hop journalist Elliott Wilson. The two bantered back and forth as Just Blaze went through some of his most famous produced tracks – including T.I.’s “Live Your Life” – for a “Behind The Sample” rundown and look inside the iconic producer’s mind.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Chappelle’s Show cast member and comedian Donnell Rawlings headlined a two-hour comedy showcase. Nothing was left untouched as Wil Sylvince, Matt Richards, Chris Riggins, and more added crowd work-heavy sets, inviting guests to leave any uptight energy at the door (no really, Rawlings jokingly had a member of the audience run out the front door). Even T.I. – known to take over the stage with his music – surprised the crowd with a stand-up set.
Once 9 pm hit, things got f*cking litttttt. With a line down the block with hundreds of attendees waiting to get let in, the sold-out evening saw an epic display of true OG hip-hop legends. Hosted by Just Blaze, the stage lit up as a lineup of special guests took to the stage across five hours, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Skratch Bastid, T.I., DJ Buck Rodgers, NIKO IS, Talib Kweli, Havoc, Redman, Young Guru, and more. Then out of nowhere – T.I.’s son Messiah Harris – known onstage as Buddy Red – rippled his psychedelic guitar for the thunderous crowd.
Speaking as someone who was there — it was a whole scene. And so much fun.
Redman closed out the evening like only he could — bringing unparalleled energy and enthusiasm, Nowhere else could you have gotten all these true hip-hop pioneers under one roof for an epic showcase. If you weren’t there, well, you can get a sense of the evening here:
The next day, attendees could enjoyed a change of pace as the hip-hop scene was traded in for soulful jazzy horns. Dubbed “Soul In The Horn” — named for the famous party-throwing collective — the evening was soundtracked by the lively beats of “The 45 Queen” DJ Natasha Diggs and her live entourage. Thanks to curation by DProsper, the stage ebbed and flowed with percussionists, vocalists, and jazz music makers as Summit Rooftop transformed into a global dance showcase. No genre was left untouched as DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, Oveous, l3ni, and Kassa Overall left their musical markings on the evening, playing through conscious rhymes, soulful jazz improvisation, and funky-electro house beats.
Photos from the Just Blaze x PaulSellsTX x UPROXX Takeover:
