Black History Month | Cafe Nine | Music | Arts & Culture | Musicians | Ninth Square | Arts & Anti-racism
Venusun was one of several artists who came in from New Jersey. Al Larriva-Latt Photos.
In an oversized orange Chichen Itza t-shirt and slouchy gray sweatpants, the singer Venusun (a.k.a. Brianna Coble), sat at the mic on stage at Cafe Nine. A backdrop of golden stars and purple light shimmered behind the artist, creating a kind of halo effect.
“I was contemplating not doing this next song,” Venusun said, hesitating.
Chef the Chef goaded her on. “Do it! Do it!” Venusun started vocalizing: “Don’t stop, don’t quit, that’s it.”
During a break in the song, successfully underway, Chef the Chef cut in, “I can’t believe you almost didn’t do this!” The crowd made noise in agreement.
Wednesday night, a spirit of mutual support filled Cafe Nine for round seven of the "New Haven Grand Prix," hosted by Chef the Chef. Chef—the first “Chef” in his moniker is pronounced “Kef”—organized the event and also headlined it. Sharing the bill were four other performers, who came from as far as New Jersey. They included SB, Keila Myles, Venusun, and Griiief.
On a night dedicated to hip-hop and R&B, many of the performers’ lyrics were pro-Black, pro-Indigenous, and pro-police abolition. Myles, who also performs as Keyz Believe Me, repeatedly dedicated her performance to Black Futures Month. All but one of the performers were Black.
Chefren Gray has been performing as Chef the Chef since 2013, when he was a 20-year-old studying elementary education at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). Originally from Bridgeport, where he works as a long-term elementary school substitute teacher, he is a fixture on the New Haven gig scene, performing at established and DIY venues.
From left to right: Griiief rapped about peace, love, and spiritual healing, Chef the Chef held court in a fan-made t-shirt, and SB under the stage lights, moments before he requested they be turned off. “I like to be heard, not seen,” he said. Al Larriva-Latt Photos.
A recurring performer at the long-running Hip Hop for the Homeless fundraiser, Gray has been running the monthly Grand Prix since July 2021.
“I really have a vision of making this the most consistent and notable local performance showcase for rising artists,” he wrote in an all-caps Instagram post. “I’m going to make sure as long as i’m in the area that everyone has a place to shine.”
During a public health crisis that has hit artists and performers especially hard, Covid-19 has put an added strain on Gray as an event organizer, he said. Since reopening in April 2021, Cafe Nine requires attendees to provide either proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the event. Masks are required while moving in the venue’s open spaces but not while sitting down.
Cafe Nine’s policy is in line with the CDC’s recommendation that “fully vaccinated people … wear a mask in public indoor settings” when the Covid-19 transmission risk is high or substantial. According to the New York Times, transmission rates in New Haven County are “extremely high” and are likely even higher than reported, due to the underreporting of home test kits.
Gray, who supports these public health guidelines, said he thinks Cafe Nine’s policy may have dissuaded some artists from participating in the event. New Haven artists have always had differences in opinion, he noted—but these differences have grown even more marked since the pandemic’s emergence.
“It’s added another layer [to organizing an event],” he said. “Music has really brought me to those fault lines.” He added that Covid-19 has spurred conversations in the music community that he has not had anywhere else.
Keila Myles was a crowd favorite.
Despite the hurdles Gray sees, members of the intimate crowd cheered one another on and urged each other to promote themselves. Their lyrics reflected the solidarity of the time.
That was evident as Griiief, also known as Eduardo Romero, took the stage. The artist is a member of what he calls the “healing hip-hop duo Outliiiers,” which is premised on a Buddhist philosophy. Wrapped in an Aztec-themed poncho hoodie and patchwork cargo pants, he led the audience in a call in response.
“When I say peace, y’all say love,” he rapped. “Peace,” he exhorted. “Love,” chanted the audience.
The event ran smoothly thanks to not only Gray but also his collaborators Fernando Payano and Liz Ruggiero. Ruggiero sat at the round bar table closest to the stage, operating a table-top tripod and iPhone from which she livestreamed the event on Twitch. Payano roved about the venue, leaning over to consult with Gray between sets. Gray called on Payano whenever he needed clarification.
“Yo Fernando, how long have I been Chef the Chef for?” he called out, when asked about the amount of time he has been making music under the name Chef the Chef.
By the time the performer Kelia Myles made it to the stage, the crowd’s energy levels had risen. With a buttery voice that projected to the venue’s far corners, the artist also known as Keyz Believe Me tilted her head back and sang about Black empowerment. For the next song, she stood.
“Hashtag kiss my Black ass, kiss my Black ass,” she sang to an uptempo beat, raising her left arm upwards and swinging her pointer finger for emphasis. “Ain’t no justice in these streets, no justice and no peace.”
In the night’s spirit of sharing the stage, she left the mic after a few songs to give the next performer time to perform. To the captivated audience, she seemed to leave all too soon.
“Shoutout to all the artists that went before me, and, again, happy Black Future Month,” Myles closed.
To learn more about events at Cafe Nine, check out their calendar.