On November 8th, Milwaukee’s music scene lost an icon in hip hop pioneer Twan Mack. The sudden loss sent a shockwave through not only the city’s hip hop community, but the greater Milwaukee area as a whole and far beyond. Tributes poured in from all over, including the Milwaukee Bucks, and as far away as New York, Europe and Japan. On January 11th, that community will come together again, not to mourn, but to celebrate his life.

“The Sound of Kareem City” is a free tribute event that will be held at The Cooperage (822 S. Water St.) from 3 p.m.-close, honoring the self-proclaimed champion of “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop,” with more than 25 acts set to take the stage throughout the night. The list includes several artists with close ties to Mack’s four-decade long career, featuring fellow Kali Tribe co-founder King Kamonzi, Kareem City bandmate Dame Ellzey, legendary DJ Doc B, the Rusty P’s, and many, many more. 

While the event is free, donations and merchandise sales from the night will go directly to assisting Mack’s mother, of whom the emcee was a primary caretaker. For those who cannot make the event in person, a GoFundMe was established in the wake of Mack’s passing, to cover funeral expenses and the immediate needs of his mother. You can donate to that here.

Twan Mack was an artist that helped co-found Kali Tribe, the first hip hop group from Milwaukee to have a video played on BET in the early ‘90s. He would go on to reinvent his sound, ultimately championing “Adult Contemporary Hip Hop” around the world, including performances at Summerfest, and supporting longtime friend Todd “Speech” Thomas and legendary hip hop act Arrested Development in Europe and Asia. He passed suddenly from heart complications at age 54.

While many in the Milwaukee hip hop community have not felt “Marvelous” since his passing, the January event will look to bring people together once again, championing the positivity that Twan Mack instilled upon every crowd member and artist that he crossed paths with.