Al Kapone and the Memphis Jookers at the Pop-Up Arts Festival in Orange Mound

Al Kapone and the U Dig Dance Academy jookers performing with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at the Pop-Up Arts Festival at Melrose Stadium in Orange Mound, 4/29/12

Al Kapone (@ALKaponeMemphis) Live at the Pop-Up Arts Festival, Melrose Stadium, Orange Mound, 2012

Al Kapone (@ALKaponeMemphis) is one of the founders of Memphis rap, and a man who has contributed generously and selflessly to the Memphis music industry. Among his accomplishments is being one of the first rap artists to perform with a symphony orchestra. At the Pop-Up Arts Festival in Orange Mound last Sunday, Kapone performed a brief excerpt of his longer performance with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the jook dancers from the U Dig Dance Academy. It was a great ending to a great day in Orange Mound. 

On January 29, 2012, we were asked to repeat a portion of the Al Kapone/Memphis Symphony show for local arts patron Rudy Sheidt for a celebration of his birthday at the Germantown Performing Arts Center.

At the rehearsal for the Al Kapone/Memphis Symphony concert at the New Daisy Theater in Memphis last Wednesday. The concert also featured a group of dancers from the U Dig Dance Academy, displaying a Memphis-based style of dance known as jooking.

Rehearsal Scenes with @ALKaponeMemphis Tune C and the @memphissymphony at the New Daisy, 2011

More scenes from last Wednesday’s rehearsal for the Al Kapone/Memphis Symphony performance at the New Daisy Theater.

It’s not everyday that a rap artist performs with a symphony orchestra, but that’s exactly what happened here in Memphis this week with the collaboration between the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and legendary Memphis rapper Al Kapone to kick off the Opus One concert series. These pictures were taken at the rehearsal on Wednesday, November 9. The concert the following night was standing room only.