Tycoon Festival 2025: Chris Brown stars, Sexyy Red surprises, Detroit hip-hop represents
In a lively and festive Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena, the Tycoon Music Festival made its Detroit premiere as Chris Brown headlined to a packed house.
Detroit's Tee Grizzley and viral rapper Sexyy Red were among the top surprise guests in a four-hour affair that delivered multiple artist cameos to go with the announced lineup of Brown, Wiz Khalifa, Gucci Mane, Fabolous and Skilla Baby.
It was the sixth edition of an annual event launched in 2019 by Brown's manager, Ant Wilson, who was on hand at LCA along with girlfriend and R&B star Monica. Detroit was the latest destination for Tycoon after previous runs in cities such as Atlanta and Houston.
Here's a rundown:
Brown's 50-minute set reaffirmed his onstage bona fides as he closed the night for one of Team Breezy's most devoted U.S. markets.
Kicking off with a neon-streaked 'Party,' Brown drew mostly on the recent years of his two-decade catalog, though he did dip back to the early days with a dash through 'Yo (Excuse Me Miss),' 'Poppin'' and a glistening 'Strip.'
Brown was joined at times by a high-energy dance crew to complement his own dazzling, hip-hop-influenced moves, though he was just as comfortable commanding the proceedings alone onstage. He shined on a mid-show stretch of bedroom soul ('Sweet Love,' 'Back to Sleep') and a warm, glowing 'Residuals.'
Clad in a shirt citing Ecclesiastes 9:11 — a Bible verse about endurance through life's twists and turns — Brown wrapped up with 2014's 'Loyal' after thanking fans for their allegiance: 'It'll never go unnoticed,' he said.
Saturday's set was a quick taste of what may be coming with Breezy Bowl XX, which will kick off in June and eventually feature pair of August shows at Ford Field: a slick, visual-heavy production (including pyro and a pair of giant inflatable Chris Browns flanking the stage), dynamic choreography and a heap of hit songs.
By virtue of its timing, this year's Tycoon became a 4/20 weekend celebration — the weed aroma was apparent as soon as you pulled into an LCA parking area — and this Pittsburgh stoner-rapper was certainly up for the cause.
Spliff in hand as he hit the stage, Wiz romped through a trippy 40-minute set of hazy floaters ('Mezmorized'), hypnotic numbers ('We Dem Boyz') and catchy hits like 'Roll Up,' which came with giant balloon joints tossed to the crowd. Fans especially locked in as he wrapped with an upbeat 'Young, Wild & Free' and anthemic 'See You Again' with Charlie Puth's piped-in vocals.
Three months after her own LCA headlining appearance, the breakout St. Louis rapper was back Saturday, drawing screams of recognition as she hit the stage two hours in. Twerking in a skintight suit, Sexyy Red clocked all of five minutes in her cameo.
She followed a pair of unannounced sets from Detroit rapper Payroll Giovanni — who performed his solo hit 'Hoes Like' and nodded to his westside group Doughboyz Cashout — and Chicago's G Herbo.
It was Tee Grizzley who got the prime-time spotlight, joining Brown for the duo's 2023 hit 'IDGAF' and wrapping his mini-set with a crowd-igniting 'First Day Out,' the rapper's 2016 breakthrough smash.
In between — with Brown momentarily ceding his own stage — Tee paired up with fellow Detroit rapper Skilla Baby for their collab 'Gorgeous.'
Earlier, Skilla Baby had kicked off the Tycoon fest with a ladies-pleasing set that had him venturing out into the arena to give fans a chance to grab their own close-up TikTok moments. 'There's no place like home, there's no place like home,' the 26-year-old intoned at one point.
Highlights included 'CFWM' and 'Tay B Style' — and a Skilla-led crowd singalong on Keyshia Cole's 'Love.'
Atlanta trap pioneer Gucci Mane logged a pro performance with a set that included a vivacious onstage appearance from his wife, Keyshia Ka'Oirr, during his early career hit 'Freaky Gurl,' part of a set that included crowd-pleasers 'Pillz' and 'Wasted.'
Fabolous, equipped with his agile, sing-song delivery, kicked off with a latter-day track ('Cold Summer') before ultimately making his way back in time to the smooth grooves of 'Can't Let You Go' and the set-closing 'Breathe.'
Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tycoon fest in Detroit: Chris Brown stars, Sexyy Red surprises, more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
These twins led their high school class. Good luck telling them apart at Brown.
Until now. Josh and John Maynard are heading to Brown in the fall, but first they'll graduate next week as the top two students in their class at Toll Gate High School in Warwick. Josh is the valedictorian and class vice president, and John is the salutatorian and class president. They've each been named all-state cross country runners, and they also played on the tennis team. And of course, they were co-captains of each team. Advertisement At home, they share a room together. They volunteer together. They're even trying to find the same summer job. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Even their failures are the same. They were cut from the baseball team in middle school, so they became umpires. From what I could tell, the only difference between these two brothers is that Josh got a slightly better grade in AP biology their junior year – which is what helped him clinch the No. 1 spot in the graduating class. Talk about sibling rivalry. The boys said they have always competed in everything, from the classroom to playing Mario Kart, Risk, and backyard Olympics where they created various games as kids. Advertisement 'There are times when we are best friends, and there times where we are best enemies,' John quipped when we spoke on Monday night. At least I think it was John. They admitted to me that every April Fools' Day dating back to middle school, they've pranked their teachers by pretending to be the other brother. Turns out that when you're equally brilliant, no one seems to mind. Thankfully John wore a blue shirt and Josh wore red during our conversation, or else I'd never know the difference. They're both handsome, 5-foot-11 guys with curly brown hair and baby faces that I swear one day will be governor or senator (or both). And they're so proud to have attended public school. They joke that their parents wanted them to apply to attend Bishop Hendricken, the elite all-boys private school in town, but they knew what they wanted from an early age, watching their siblings play sports. 'I have a lot of public school pride,' Josh said. 'I love Toll Gate.' Josh said his favorite teacher was Michele Dagesse, who he had for English last year: 'She had such a welcoming environment,' he said. 'She made learning fun.' John adored Brendan Friel, whose AP European History class was interactive, fun, and helped students prepare for their AP exams. 'He just made history real,' John said. The boys credited all of the teachers at Toll Gate with helping them catch up and mature after the COVID-19 pandemic essentially wiped out their final two years in middle school. The learning loss, the isolation, the endless screentime. 'We at least had each other to offset it a little bit,' Josh said. Advertisement As they prepare for Brown in the fall, they're both undecided about what they want in the future. Josh seems destined for a life in politics – he's already thinking about law school or interning in Washington, D.C. – and John wants to explore everything the university has to offer. They won't be roommates for much longer, since Brown assigns dorm rooms randomly. But before college calls, they still have one final high school assignment: They'll both deliver speeches at Toll Gate's graduation ceremony on June 11. The goal is to avoid being too similar. 'I like to think I'm a little more funny,' John said. 'And Josh is a little more serious.' Dan McGowan can be reached at
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is the fantasy football hype around Chase Brown warranted? Let's investigate
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.) If you were underweight on Chase Brown in 2024 fantasy football, you weren't alone, and you probably felt it by midseason. But with 2025 drafts heating up, a surprising consensus has emerged across the fantasy community: Brown is not only a locked-in RB1, but his profile in the Bengals offense looks rock-solid for another top-tier season. Advertisement Let's dig into Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski's conversation from the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast for a nuanced breakdown of Brown's outlook. Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. Brown finished last season as the RB12 overall, emerging as one of the rare true hits for zero-RB drafters. When Zack Moss missed time, Brown 'was the only game in town,' as Harmon put it, regularly dominating not just the early-down work but also the hurry-up and high-scoring packages — a holy grail scenario for fantasy running backs. Pianowski put it bluntly: 'Chase Brown was a screaming right answer … He never came off the field. He was good in all packages … [and] a running back who never comes off the field in that situation is fantasy gold.' Advertisement Perhaps the most important note for Brown's fantasy managers is how little has changed in Cincinnati. Burrow, Chase, Higgins — everyone's back, and the system remains in place. The only real additions in the RB room? Taj Brooks (a Day 3 rookie) and some veteran insurance in Samaje Perine. Neither is expected to cut deeply into Brown's role; the Bengals' lack of a splashy running back addition speaks volumes about their trust in Brown. Even the oft-circulated Zack Moss 'threat' doesn't move the needle. Pianowski is firm: 'Zach Moss? Last year, what, 3.3 yards a carry? Give me a break … He really should be like an RB3 on a decent team and he might ultimately be that on this team.' What are the positives and negatives for Brown in 2025? Brown fits the traits fantasy managers crave: Advertisement Three-down role: He handled 90%+ snaps in multiple games last year — a pace that, even if dialed back, still lands him in RB1 territory. Concentrated offense: As Harmon notes, the Bengals have 'a very highly concentrated nature of this offense.' You don't have to squint to see the targets for Brown (alongside Chase and Higgins) being safely locked in. Game-script-proof: Even in negative scripts — likely with Cincinnati's defense still projected to struggle — Brown will continue to see playing time and pass-catching work. The Yahoo Fantasy Forecast episode highlights that the industry consensus is to rank Brown right around RB12-13, and that's roughly where his best ball ADP is landing — yet Pianowski went as far as to call him flat-out mispriced: 'People who are getting Brown in the third round right now, enjoy it while it lasts. He'll be a locked-in second-round pick, I think, when the major part of draft season kicks in.' There's a broader fantasy team-building angle here, too. If you love building out dominant receiver rooms and going 'Hero RB,' Brown is a prime candidate. Pianowski says it best: 'Is Chase Brown good enough for a Hero RB build? And my answer is, absolutely. If I left the draft where the only signature back I had was Brown and I had that wide receiver … I was winning the flex. I was winning the wide receiver room. That's a roster I'd go to war with.' Of course, every player has risks. With Brown, it comes down to: Advertisement Pedigree concerns: As a former Day 3 pick, some 'what if?' always lingers until a player receives massive team investment. Volume adjustment: The coaching staff has hinted they don't want every game 90%+ snap shares, but even a dip to 70-75% would be plenty. Bengals defense improvement: If the defense outperforms expectations, there could be fewer shootouts — but the unit is projected to remain bottom-10. Summing up the takeaways from Harmon and Pianowski, Chase Brown is one of the best RB picks you can make at the 2/3 turn. Opportunity, team trust and fantasy-friendly game environment — all the ingredients are there. Don't overthink it, don't get sidetracked by backup chatter, and be comfortable making him the hoss of your RB room. When the Bengals' carnival kicks into high gear, you'll be glad Brown is riding shotgun.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Water from Your Eyes Announce New Album It's a Beautiful Place, Reveal 2025 Tour Dates
The post Water from Your Eyes Announce New Album It's a Beautiful Place, Reveal 2025 Tour Dates appeared first on Consequence. Water from Your Eyes are back to announce a new album, It's a Beautiful Place, out on August 22nd via Matador. They've also confirmed a major 2025 North American tour set for this fall, and revealed the first single off It's a Beautiful Place: 'Life Signs.' The former CoSigns, comprised of songwriters Rachel Brown and Nate Amos, were inspired by turn-of-the-millennial sonics, outer space, existentialism, and writing for their newly-fitted live band on It's a Beautiful Place. 'It ended up being about time, dinosaurs and space,' Amos said of the new album in a press release. 'We wanted to present a wide range of styles in a way that acknowledges everything's just a tiny blip.' Get Water from Your Eyes Tickets Here They'll be supporting It's a Beautiful Place with a sprawling North American tour this fall, which kicks off in Philadelphia on September 22nd. They'll make their way through cities like Washington D.C., Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Austin, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, and many more; they'll conclude the run on November 7th in Denver before heading off to Europe. Her New Knife, Winter, and Dutch Interior will provide support throughout the trek. See their full list of tour dates below. Tickets for Water From Your Eyes' 2025 tour will first be available via an artist pre-sale beginning on Wednesday, June 4th at 12:00 p.m. local time; fans can sign up for pre-sale access to their desired show date(s) on Water From Your Eyes' official website. A Live Nation pre-sale is also available for select dates beginning on Wednesday, June 4th at 12:00 p.m. local time (use code TREBLE). Tickets go on-sale for the general public on Friday, June 6th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster as well as the band's official website. 'Life Signs' serves as the lead single for It's a Beautiful Place and it's a moody, guitar-forward introduction to the album's expansive sound. Cycling between slightly threatening and resigned, Amos brings palm-muted arpeggios and grungy blasts of guitar while Brown narrates deadpanned, surrealist verses. The song also arrives with a music video inspired by several eras of television, and feature Amos and Brown in a variety of vintage sets and situations. Check out 'Life Signs' below. Since releasing their lauded 2023 album Everyone's Crushed, Brown and Amos have been busy; they toured frequently, embarking on a large slate of dates opening for their labelmates Interpol (including their performance in Mexico City, which drew 160,000 attendees) and a co-headlining run with Squid. They also resurfaced for a covers EP in 2024. Meanwhile, they both released solo albums: Brown shared an EP under the moniker thanks for coming, while Amos released an acclaimed debut album Box For Buddy, Box For Star last year as This Is Lorelei. Revisit our CoSign interview with the band from 2023, where Brown and Amos discuss the project's ethos, Everyone's Crushed, and more. Artwork: Tracklist: 01. One Small Step 02. Life Signs 03. Nights in Armor 04. Born 2 05. You Don't Believe in God? 06. Spaceship 07. Playing Classics 08. It's a Beautiful Place 09. Blood on the Dollar 10. For Mankind Water From Your Eyes 2025 Tour Dates: 09/22 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's ^ 09/23 — Washington, DC @ The Atlantis ^ 09/24 — Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle Back Room ^ 09/26 — Atlanta, GA @ The Earl ^ 09/27 — Nashville, TN @ Blue Room ^ 09/28 — St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House ^ 09/30 — Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry ^ 10/01 — Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon ^ 10/02 — Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village ^ 10/03 — Detroit, MI @ El Club ^ 10/06 — Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz ^ 10/07 — Amherst, MA @ The Drake ^ 10/08 — Boston, MA @ The Sinclair ^ 10/10 — New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ^ 10/21 — Austin, TX @ Parish # 10/22 — Dallas, TX @ Dada # 10/24 — Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar % 10/25 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge % 10/26 — San Diego, CA @ Casbah % 10/27 — Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room % 10/29 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent % 10/31 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios % 11/01 — Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou's % 11/02 — Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret % 11/04 — Boise, ID @ Neurolux % 11/05 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court % 11/07 — Denver, CO @ Globe Hall % 11/13 — London, UK @ Village Underground 11/14 — Manchester, UK @ YES 11/15 — Glasgow, UK @ The Rum Shack 11/16 — Dublin, IE @ The Workman's Club 11/18 — Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew 11/20 — Brussels, BE @ Botanique Rotonde 11/21 — Cologne, DE @ 674FM 11/23 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (Small Hall) 11/24 — Hamburg, DE @ Aalhaus 11/25 — Copenhagen, DK @ Ideal Bar 11/26 — Berlin, DE @ Lark 11/28 — Munich, DE @ Import/Export 11/29 — Milan, IT @ Arci Bellezza 11/30 — Dudingen, CH @ Bad Bonn 12/02 — Paris, FR @ Boule Noire 12/03 — Lyon, FR @ Le Sonic 12/05 — Barcelona, ES @ Sala Upload 12/06 — Madrid, ES @ Sala Sol 12/07 — Lisbon, PT @ Musicbox ^ = w/ Her New Knife # = w/ Winter % = w/ Dutch Interior Popular Posts King of the Hill Revival Gets Hulu Release Date, New Opening Sequence Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence Are Now In-Laws Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole "Enter Sandman" Riff from Another Band Jonathan Joss, Voice of John Redcorn on King of the Hill, Shot and Killed by Neighbor Sabrina Carpenter Announces New Single "Manchild" T-Pain Announces 20th Anniversary US Tour Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
