With today’s hip hop scene being male-dominated, when I heard Noname was making an appearance at Tipitina’s, I knew I would have to be there. Noname is the stage name of Fatimah Warner, a female American hip hop recording artist and poet out of Chicago, Illinois. She began her Everything is Everything tour on November 4^th in San Francisco and made her way to New Orleans on November 13th, completing selling the place out.
Upon arrival, I immediately entered a packed Tipitina’s, surprised at the sheer density. People were packed together like sardines from front to back. There was an excited buzz in the air as we awaited Noname and virtually no chance of pushing to the front.
I found a better spot and made friends with the enthusiastic fans around me- we anxiously awaited her appearance. After about half an hour, she came out with a huge smile and the audience roared, her band playing jazz numbers and instrumentals before she hopped in on the first track All I Need. For the first thirty seconds of the song, Noname was barely audible over her enthusiastic audience, who knew literally all the words. Her demeanor was carefree and comfortable, like she’s done this her entire life; she is natural in every sense of the word.
Noname’s thing is being lighthearted and fun while simultaneously tackling heavy topics and subject matter. The band began playing the opening of Casket Pretty and she began the lines, “All of my n*ggas is casket pretty. Aint no one safe in this happy city. I hope you make it home, I hope to God that my tele’ don’t ring,” completely captivating the audience.
Her full band was skilled and it felt like they were right where they belonged, in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz music. They had a chemistry that was unmatched, starting and stopping with ease and finesse. Noname did not disappoint and was nothing but genuine, authentic, and gave more than expected. 
If you have the chance to see her live, you must. No excuses.
signing off,
DJ Dragonfly