{"id":2256139,"date":"2026-01-29T12:39:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2256139"},"modified":"2026-01-29T12:39:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:39:00","slug":"talibah-safiya-talks-new-mixtape-hood-rave-dance-parties-in-memphis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/talibah-safiya-talks-new-mixtape-hood-rave-dance-parties-in-memphis\/","title":{"rendered":"Talibah Safiya talks new mixtape, Hood Rave dance parties in Memphis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div id=\"videoWrap\" class=\"spacer-large videoWrap\" style=\"position:relative\"><media-video video-id=\"82415816007\" title=\"Commercial Appeal journalists cover the important moments in Memphis\" poster=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/11\/24\/PMCA\/76538080007-241123-memphis-skyline-04.JPG?crop=3683,2073,x0,y191\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\" placement=\"snow-video-story-priority\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"uwVideoPlaceholder\" slot=\"placeholder\" style=\"z-index:19;width:100%;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"vidplaybtn\" style=\"display:-moz-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:-webkit-flex;display:flex;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,.4);border:2px solid #fff;border-radius:80px;cursor:pointer;height:80px;width:80px;position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);z-index:10\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div slot=\"videoDetails\" id=\"videoDetails\" class=\"videoDetails\" style=\"padding-top:8px;padding-bottom:8px\">\n<div id=\"videoDetailsContainer\" class=\"videoDetailsContainer\" hidden=\"\">\n<p>Commercial Appeal journalists cover the important moments in Memphis<\/p>\n<p>Commercial Appeal journalists cover the important moments in Memphis and the Mid-South. Support local journalism by subscribing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/media-video><\/div>\n<p><story-highlights class=\"spacer-small column ten-column no-gutter\" util-module-path=\"elements\/story\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Memphis neo-soul artist Talibah Safiya has released a new mixtape titled &#8220;Eternal.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>The new music was inspired by a local dance party series she hosts called The Hood Rave.<\/li>\n<li>Safiya will host a listening event on Jan. 31 at the Memphis Listening Lab.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/story-highlights><partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talibahsafiya.com\/\">Talibah Safiya\u2019s<\/a> latest release, \u201cEternal,\u201d was born on the dance floor.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>The new mixtape \u2014 which Safiya will mark with an <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/memphislisteninglab.org\/event\/talibah-safiya-listening-event-3\/\">event at the Memphis Listening Lab<\/a> on Jan. 31 \u2014 marks an interesting if subtle shift for one of the city\u2019s most consistently thoughtful and engaging neo-soul artists. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Following the 2024 expanded release of her last album, the historical Hill Country blues concept project \u201cBlack Magic,\u201d Safiya found her muse shifting, a change inspired by her work hosting a local dance party series called The Hood Rave.<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304718007-zm-3-r-4775.jpeg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304718007-zm-3-r-4775.jpeg?crop=5333,3999,x333,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304718007-zm-3-r-4775.jpeg?crop=3000,3999,x1500,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304718007-zm-3-r-4775.jpeg?crop=5999,3375,x0,y312 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Photo by Ziggy Mack\" caption=\"Acclaimed Memphis neo-soul artist Talibah Safiya has just released a new mixtape, &quot;Eternal.&quot;\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Hood Rave is all about being able to dance, get liberated, sweat, dress weird, feel free,\u201d says Safiya, who presents the events with her husband, brother and sister-in-law. \u201cWe had observed that people weren&#8217;t really dancing at parties as much as we were used to growing up. We&#8217;ve kind of outgrown the club scene. So we were like, we want to move, we want to sweat. So we started having this party series.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>A funny thing happened to Safiya while attending The Hood Rave events. \u201cI started wanting to hear myself and my music so bad at the parties,\u201d she said, laughing. \u201cBut I was like, damn, I don&#8217;t really fit this vibe as far as my music goes. But clearly this is in me because I would be the main person dancing from the minute the party started to the end. So I made it a mission to try and make music that would fit in that setting. That\u2019s what really opened me up to be available to make \u2018Eternal.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/><partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>The new album finds Safiya reuniting with \u201cBlack Magic\u201d producer and Grammy-nominated engineer Ari Morris (Mary J. Blige, Macy Gray). The 12-track \u201cEternal\u201d expands her sound and stylistic approach with a collection of groove-oriented tracks that still offer meaningful emotional messages.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was challenged to explore writing from a different part of myself,\u201d says Safiya. \u201cIn the past, I&#8217;ve been focused on processing my pain through my music and storytelling. But thinking about myself and my joy and my playfulness through my music \u2014 I hadn&#8217;t really done that before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cta-atoms-container-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/cta\" class=\"spacer-large\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">MEMPHIS CONCERTS: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commercialappeal.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2026\/01\/16\/diana-ross-concert-in-memphis-orpheum\/88200175007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Diana Ross leads slate of big-name shows at Orpheum in Memphis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">&#8216;My goal was to become an excellent songwriter&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/05\/04\/PMCA\/73571769007-240504-river-beat-saturday-24.JPG bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/05\/04\/PMCA\/73571769007-240504-river-beat-saturday-24.JPG?crop=3555,2666,x444,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/05\/04\/PMCA\/73571769007-240504-river-beat-saturday-24.JPG?crop=2000,2666,x1600,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/05\/04\/PMCA\/73571769007-240504-river-beat-saturday-24.JPG?crop=3999,2250,x0,y208 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Chris Day\/The Commercial Appeal\" caption=\"Talibah Safiya performs at RiverBeat Music Festival on May 4, 2024, at Tom Lee Park in Downtown Memphis.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>For Safiya the album represents an ideal balance between her musical and narrative interests, something she\u2019s been working at since childhood. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Memphis since the age of 5, Safiya attended Colonial Middle School\u2019s Performing Arts Program.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At the time, they made us choose a focus. And I remember being really stuck between picking creative writing or choir,\u201d says Safiya. \u201cI chose choir. And so that&#8217;s when I really started to sing and love to sing in front of people. I was in the choir for like eight years or so, but I never stopped writing.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>After high school, Safiya returned to Washington, D.C., to attend Howard University where she studied theater education and became a staple on the local open mic scene. \u201cI went to Howard for my undergrad, but I was like, I just want to sing. I want to write. And my goal was to become an excellent songwriter. That&#8217;s really what I wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Drawing inspiration from musicians like Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Erykah Badu and Betty Davis, she also went deep into the work of influential female Black authors. \u201cI was reading a lot of Octavia Butler, Toni Cade Bambara, Alice Walker,\u201d Safiya says. \u201cI was just trying to expand my vocabulary, expand my ability to be a visual storyteller, along with an emotional storyteller.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/05\/03\/PMCA\/83423133007-dsc-00873.jpg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/05\/03\/PMCA\/83423133007-dsc-00873.jpg?crop=1820,1364,x204,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/05\/03\/PMCA\/83423133007-dsc-00873.jpg?crop=1024,1364,x614,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/05\/03\/PMCA\/83423133007-dsc-00873.jpg?crop=2047,1152,x0,y106 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal\" caption=\"Talibah Safiya sings during a ceremony honoring rapper Chuck D on May 2, 2025, at the Stax Museum in Memphis.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>She later moved to New York City, where she found work as a session singer, began doing professional songwriting collaborations, and released some early albums like 2012\u2019s &#8220;Night Flight.&#8221; \u201cI was just trying to hone my skills, but also just trying to like have fun,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was such a free time where my ideas of success were so loose and were based on a feeling, you know? Then I did this collaboration with an artist named Kamauu that kind of got people interested in me in a way, because he was signed at the time to Atlantic [Records].\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">MEMPHIS MUSIC NEWS: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commercialappeal.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/2026\/01\/29\/memphis-rap-tyke-t-new-releases\/88258472007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Memphis rapper Tyke T to kick off weekly release series, &#8217;25 to 40&#8242;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 wp-block-heading\">&#8216;Memphis has always been such a muse for me&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Despite building a small industry buzz, in 2017, she decided to move back home to Memphis to center herself. \u201cI needed a reset, to figure out what I was really doing. And I came back to Memphis and things got so much clearer,\u201d says Safiya, who has since released a steady stream of singles, the live record \u201cLove Spells\u201d and the two different iterations of the ambitious \u201cBlack Magic.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>In addition to her time serving as artist in residence at the University of Memphis\u2019 School of Music Business, she\u2019s recently taken on a role handling storytelling and narrative management for Memphis cultural organization <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebigwe.com\/\">The BIG We<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just feels like such a natural fit, to allow Memphis to continue to be my muse in a whole different way,\u201d says Safiya. \u201cMemphis has always been such a muse for me creatively, but to do so as I&#8217;m thinking about strategy, cultural development&#8230; we\u2019re coming together to make Memphis\u2019 potential an exciting reality. That feels really important to me right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304774007-zm-3-r-4444.jpeg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304774007-zm-3-r-4444.jpeg?crop=5333,3999,x333,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304774007-zm-3-r-4444.jpeg?crop=3000,3999,x1500,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/01\/22\/PMCA\/88304774007-zm-3-r-4444.jpeg?crop=5999,3375,x0,y0 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Photo by Ziggy Mack\" caption=\"Talibah Safiya will mark the release of &quot;Eternal&quot; with an event at the Memphis Listening Lab on Jan. 31.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>With \u201cEternal\u201d \u2014 which is out now on the artists\u2019 platform <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/get.even.biz\/\">Even<\/a> and will hit other streaming services Feb. 1, before a physical release in the spring \u2014 Safiya will be sharing both her old and new music with an expanding audience. In March, she\u2019ll head out to the UK as part of an effort by local nonprofit Music Export Memphis. Along with fellow Bluff City songstress Marcella Simien, Safiya will be appearing at the English Folk Expo in Manchester and will play a handful of London concerts.<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>In the meantime, she will host a free release event for \u201cEternal\u201d at the Memphis Listening Lab on Jan. 31. Then, on Feb. 7, The Hood Rave will return at <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commercialappeal.com\/story\/money\/business\/2025\/12\/17\/society-memphis-skatepark-reopens-binghampton\/87552232007\/\">Society Memphis<\/a>, where Safiya\u2019s own music can finally serve as part of the soundtrack.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>\u201cI feel like so many people are tight in their bodies and frustrated constantly by what&#8217;s happening in the political world and all the stuff that&#8217;s going on and makes us all feel powerless and stressed,\u201d says Safiya. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly important right now for us to move our bodies, and be in rooms together, feeling joyful. So that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 print_infobox wp-block-heading\">Talibah Safiya&#8217;s &#8216;Eternal&#8217; Listening Session<\/h2>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">6 p.m. Jan. 31 at Memphis Listening Lab, at Crosstown Concourse, 1350 Concourse Ave.<\/p>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">The event is free. Go to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/memphislisteninglab.org\/event\/talibah-safiya-listening-event-3\/\">Memphislisteninglab.org<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"presto-h2 print_infobox wp-block-heading\">The Hood Rave<\/h2>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">With Chief Rifa, DJ Bizzle Bluebland, Rosamii<\/p>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">10 p.m. Feb. 7 at Society Memphis, 583 Scott St.<\/p>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Go to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hoodrave.com\/?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnB626lGLRXzWeHXuSGcPbhWNtkJHdmI-eS3u-L4y6jWZKc4nTtE94tmD_5Sg_aem_Gb0HLYWz6Fh4W0lebzy-8g\">Hoodrave.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"print_infobox\">For more information, go to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talibahsafiya.com\/\">Talibahsafiya.com<\/a><\/p>\n<lit-timestamp class=\"column ten-column no-gutter spacer-small\" slot=\"timestamp\" publishdate=\"2026-01-29 11:01:12.736681032 +0000 UTC\" updatedate=\"2026-01-29 11:01:12.736681032 +0000 UTC\"\/><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.commercialappeal.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commercial Appeal journalists cover the important moments in Memphis Commercial Appeal journalists cover the important moments in Memphis and the Mid-South. Support local journalism by subscribing. Memphis neo-soul artist Talibah Safiya has released a new mixtape titled &#8220;Eternal.&#8221; The new music was inspired by a local dance party series she hosts called The Hood Rave. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2133557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[39915,30218,22220,21751,239390,6297,284334,21741,51971,21944,340293,418754,21739,298114,351467,351469,21800,307678,21738,239343,239347,23759,147314,23152,284335,239344,24098,100640,239391],"class_list":["post-2256139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-affiliate","tag-ai","tag-arts","tag-celebrities","tag-celebrities-u0026-entertainment-news","tag-eamotion","tag-enabled","tag-entertainment","tag-highlights","tag-hip-hop","tag-howard","tag-howard-university","tag-local","tag-local-affiliate-arts-u0026-entertainment","tag-memphis","tag-memphis-music","tag-music","tag-music-reference","tag-news","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-positive","tag-reference","tag-story","tag-story-highlights-ai-enabled","tag-u0026","tag-university","tag-urban","tag-urban-u0026-hip-hop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/New-music-venues-in-Memphis-eye-2026-openings-Whats-planned-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2256139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2256139"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2256139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2256140,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2256139\/revisions\/2256140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2133557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2256139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2256139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2256139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}