New York City has spent years waking up from its post-lockdown slumber. Rising from the ruins of empty clubs and dance floors, the city seems to create aesthetically pleasing new venues every day in an effort to restore the glory of its former nightlife capital. NYC has many clubs, most catering to House and his EDM demographic. But the crucible essence that gives the city its charm falls short when it comes to representing other kinds of spaces in the club scene. As a result, places that cater to other niche audiences like hip-hop are often overlooked or overshadowed, and (unless you know someone who knows) the best old and new Rap It’s getting harder to find a place to listen to his music and dance. outside.
So, to take the stress out of planning for the future, we’ve rounded up nine of New York City’s best hip-hop clubs worth checking out. Some clubs are among the best dance clubs in New York. Depending on what you’re looking for, one of these clubs will definitely give you the hip-hop fix you’re looking for.
nebula
Nebula, a nightclub and event space in midtown Manhattan near Bryant Park, isn’t directly defined as a ‘hip-hop club’, but it’s named after ‘Tuesday Baby Tuesday, the longest-running party in New York nightlife’. known as the host. history. The widely popular weekly event has been filling dance floors across the city since 1993 and is now based in Nebula. The party is still highly anticipated, with celebrities such as A-Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Don Toliver, Rick Ross, Travis Scott, 50 Cent, Bobby Shmurda and Rae Sremmurd joining the event as guest hosts or performers. It is not uncommon to see them.
every day
The Katra Lounge in Lower Manhattan is a full hip-hop club experience with hookahs, sections and everything. This Moroccan-inspired venue is the perfect place for partygoers who want to dance to hip-hop all night long. Every weekend we look forward to events such as ‘Hip Hop vs Caribbean Music’, ‘Hip Hop vs Afro Beats’, ‘TGI Fridays After Work’ and ‘Certified Saturdays’. If you’re an early riser, there’s also a mid-day brunch every Sunday. No matter when you join, sample a French-inspired Middle Eastern fusion menu and soak up the sophisticated, sultry interior of the venue before hitting the dance floor. recommend to.
Harbor NYC
Like Nebula, Hell’s Kitchen’s Harbor NYC is no ordinary “hip-hop club.” Still, it’s a place that can have some of hip-hop’s biggest stars in attendance, whether it’s a performance or an appearance (or both). Past star attendees include Nav, Lola Brooke, BIA , Central Cee, and Future.
Lounge 247
Not to be confused with sister bar Bob Bar (an equally enjoyable hip hop club). Lounge 247 in Manhattan’s Lower East Side is a must-visit for 30+ rap fans. The club is primarily known for playing his 90s and his 2000s hip-hop classics, and is popular with the more chilled out, mature clientele. The space is more of an intimate bar than a club, with the dance floor on the smaller side of the space. .
SNS bar
SNS Bar near Chelsea Market is known for attracting a young, energetic and stylish crowd. An acronym for Sneakersnstaff, the bar is part of a larger social media brand launched directly above the club by Stockholm natives Eric Fagerlind and Peter Jansson. This venue is the perfect place if you want to catch New York’s hottest trendy DJs playing a blend of hip-hop and other genres.
lambda lounge
The Lambda Lounge is Harlem’s only black-owned queer bar. It quickly became known as a safe and inclusive space for the LGBTQ community. In his 2020 soft-launch during the pandemic, owners and life partners Richard Solomon and Charles Hughes opened Lambda as an extension of their in-house spirits brand, Lambda Vodka. Since opening, the space is now considered a staple of the LGBTQ club scene, and the success of his Harlem location has led to other locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The former, called Club Lambda, is best known for his 5,000-square-foot two-story venue, which aims to expand its population with more events for the gay and trans community. Each location also has its own set of events, with ‘Wet Mondays’ and ‘FNF Fridays’ being party staples at the Manhattan Lounge, and ‘Fridays at Lambda’ and ‘Sneaky Link Saturday’ being the main attractions at the Brooklyn location. .
shimi
Williamsburg’s Bar Schimmi, connected to the wildly popular Schimanski club, serves as one of Brooklyn’s best hip-hop-centric spaces. Bar Schimmi hosts a variety of events across different genres, but ‘Select Fridays’ or ‘Simply Schimmi’ are the staples that best suit the hip-hop crowd. In addition to good music, the place has no shortage of star-studded sightings, with past celebrity guest appearances including Joey Badass, Saweetie, J.I.D., Smino, and more.
Lot 45
Another spot I highly recommend for all things hip-hop in Brooklyn is Lot 45 in Bushwick. The industrial space has been transformed into a living room-style lounge with art and cozy décor, and is known for having a crowded dance floor most weekends. The venue is his second home of New York’s most popular DJ, who regularly hosts events such as Soca, Amapiano and Afrobeat. For hip-hop, some of the highly anticipated parties at Lot 45 include: 90’s to 2000’s hip hop.
Cafe Erzulie
Cafe Erzulie, a Haitian-style café in Brooklyn, is highly recommended by locals as one of the borough’s most popular spots to cater to the hip-hop, Afrobeat, and Amapiano crowds. Named after “Erzulie,” the Haitian voodoo spirit of voodoo, love and dance, the café serves coffee and Haitian-inspired cuisine during the day. At night, it transforms into a cocktail bar. On weekday nights, you can stop by the café for jazz nights. But if you’re in the mood to dance, he recommends heading to notable hip-hop-centric events such as “Live at Erzulie” and “First Saturdays,” led by DJ He Flygerian and Stonie Blue, on weekends. . The DJ Scene — Respectively.
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Janelle Wharton, formally known as “Woah Nellie”, is a music journalist, curator and DJ. Nelliee hosts her own radio show, Nitetide FM, showcasing her latest features her beats and eclectic sound. When she’s not DJing, she’s also been working as a music journalist and curator, and through featured interviews and updating the UK-based platform’s Souletiquette’s ‘RNB Room’ playlist, she’s keeping up with the up-and-coming. Shining a light on talent.
