-Courtesy of The Kimmel Cultural Campus
From Emancipation to Black Lives Matter, Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra Juneteenth Celebration will use Hip-Hop music to shine a spotlight on the importance of representation. The virtual streamed concert will showcase lyrics, rhythm and music which have historically been a source of healing and empowerment for African Americans. Founded in Philadelphia, Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra combines the raw energy and passion of Hip-Hop with the beautiful sounds of orchestral accompaniment fusing strings, horns and piano with Hip-Hop lyrics, a DJ, fire-breathing MC, and soul-stirring female vocalist. This high-energy Orchestra has sold out concert halls across the country and celebrates being the 3rd Hip-Hop group to headline their own performance at Carnegie Hall.
“The Kimmel Cultural Campus is thrilled to welcome home to Philadelphia the unique beats and sound of Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra, the first Hip-Hop group to grace the stages of the Kimmel Center in 2001,” said Ed Cambron, Executive Vice President & COO of the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “We are committed to having programming and presentations that reflect the unique spirit and diversity of our great city and this virtual Juneteenth Celebration is a great way to spotlight the historical significance of this day as well as the contributions of artists of color and the important role music plays in the African American experience.”
“Music has always been a source of activism and healing for African Americans for generations dating back to the Negro Spirituals sung on plantations, to more modern-day Hip-Hop rhymes and beats birthed in the streets by early artists,” says Jeffrey McNeill, a Philadelphia native and co-founder of Thee Phantom & The illharmonic Orchestra. His wife and co-founder Andrea McNeil adds, “this virtual Juneteenth Celebration showcases the unique talents of fifteen artists of color who artfully fuse orchestral sounds with Hip-Hop beats and lyrics in a unique way lifting up the importance of representation and showcasing the healing power of the arts.”
WHEN & WHERE:
Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra: Juneteenth Celebration
Streaming Saturday, June 19, 2021
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Ticket prices: $20 on www.kimmelculturalcampus.org
WHO:
The Kimmel Cultural Campus in partnership with Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra, a Hip-Hop orchestra whose founding members are from Philadelphia and features artists from across the tri-state region.
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