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Chreece founder Oreo Jones doesn\u2019t mind if you pronounce the music festival’s name wrong \u2014 he actually finds it funny.<\/p>\n
The closest phonetic way to say the portmanteau of \u201ccheers\u201d and \u201cpeace\u201d is probably \u201ctree-s.\u201d Long \u201cE\u201d like \u201ccheese\u201d or \u201cbreeze,\u201d short \u201cS\u201d like \u201csizzle.\u201d Not everyone sticks that landing, but Jones said the multiple discrepancies he hears are part of the appeal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly think it\u2019s kind of sick when people mispronounce it,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIt\u2019s yours. Your experience, your world. Say it however you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
The moniker is back, signifying the return of Indianapolis\u2019 beloved one-day hip-hop festival<\/a>. Chreece, which celebrates its 10th birthday this year, will feature more than 70 artists, DJs and producers across a cluster of Fountain Square stages Aug. 23.<\/p>\n Rappers Smino and Mavi, R&B singer Audrey Nuna \u2014 who currently tops the Billboard Hot 100 as a credited artist in Huntr\/x, the fictional girl group from the movie \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d \u2014 and local experimental hip hop trio 81355 (pronounced \u201cbless\u201d) will headline. A roster of more than 40 local artists will round out the set times.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s festival is Chreece\u2019s third year back after a three-year pandemic hiatus<\/a> from 2020 to 2022. Fountain Square\u2019s streets will close to cars as vendors, DJs, interactive art installations and more fill the block.<\/p>\n Chreece\u2019s track record of tapping promising upstarts precedes it, with rising stars like Benny the Butcher and Jordan Ward performing in past years. The festival, which hosted its inaugural slate of performances in 2015<\/a>, will continue the tradition of spotlighting a fresh local talent pool this year.<\/p>\n More performers want a piece of the action every year, Jones said, with more than 250 applying to the festival this year.<\/strong> Jones, one-third of the headlining 81355 trio, said the showcase is an opportunity for artists to test their performance chops outside the streaming and social media bubbles.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone is salivating now about numbers,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThat\u2019s all well and good, but can you rock a stage?\u201d<\/p>\n The final Chreece lineup features more than 40 local artists and the winner of the festival\u2019s Last Shot competition, where selected finalists performed in front of a panel of judges to earn a show slot. This year\u2019s winners, Pinky and P.S. Maldonna, got the nod after the live finals at Indianapolis Artsgarden Aug. 9.<\/p>\n Jones said he hopes Chreece\u2019s presence puts Indianapolis on the map as a flourishing artist community. The talent pool is deeper than most would think, he said, and it\u2019s only getting bigger. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s almost a million people in Marion County, and there\u2019s probably 10% of them that are rappers and musicians,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWe\u2019re still just getting started with it all.\u201d<\/p>\n Chreece sold its general admission tickets in tiers, with prices rising as each batch sold out. Tier 2 general admission tickets are still on sale for $60 and available here<\/a>. Tickets grant access to each venue on the bill as well as the vendor village.<\/p>\n Purchase of a general admission family ticket pack includes access to games, art-making, DJ battles and the festival\u2019s vendor village for two adults and up to four kids under the age of 12 from noon until 6 p.m., per Chreece\u2019s ticket description. The pack is available for $150 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n A party is only as good as its afters, and Chreece is doubling down with two immediately following the performances. Presale tickets to the Atomic Bowl Underground Afterparty are on sale for $20 and available here, and presale tickets to the festival\u2019s staple No Rap on Sunday Afterparty are available for $20 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Both will stretch from 10:30 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday and feature a lineup of R&B performers, DJs and more.<\/p>\n Hi Fi Annex: 1043 Virginia Ave., Suite 4<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Ashford and The Dissertations: 5:40 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n White Rabbit Cabaret: 1116 Prospect St.<\/strong><\/p>\n TJ and Teresa Reynolds: 7:40 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Keyze Arizona: 10:50 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Foxd\u2019legend: 11:20 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Square Cat Vinyl: 1054 Virginia Ave.<\/strong><\/p>\n Wildfyre Tap: 1106 Prospect St.<\/strong><\/p>\n Atomic Bowl: 1105 Prospect St.<\/strong><\/p>\n Chreece Afters: 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@gannett.com<\/a>. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.<\/em><\/p>\nHow to get tickets to Chreece<\/h2>\n
Who\u2019s performing at Chreece? See the set times and venues:<\/h2>\n
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