Brooklyn’s own Kota the Friend is preparing to tap into his musical roots in a way fans rarely get to witness. Following his acclaimed 20-city No Rap on Sunday tour, the independent rapper will perform with a full live band for two intimate nights at New York City’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club on December 2 and 3, 2025. Tickets are available now through Ticketweb:
https://www.ticketweb.com/event/kota-the-friend-with-live-blue-note-jazz-club-tickets/14663733
For Kota, the shows represent a return to the foundation that shaped him long before he became one of hip hop’s most consistent independent voices — the world of musicianship, instrumentation, and live performance.
A Hip-Hop Artist on a Stage Built by Musical Giants
The Blue Note, which opened in 1981 in Greenwich Village, has long been one of the most significant rooms in American music. Its stage has welcomed legends such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Tito Puente, artists whose influence stretches far beyond jazz. Many musicians who hadn’t played club stages in years chose the Blue Note as the place to return, helping the venue become a landmark for creativity, experimentation, and cultural exchange.
Over the years, the club has continued evolving with the times, hosting a mix of veterans and modern innovators. Artists like Robert Glasper, Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Ron Carter, and Chris Botti have all made the Blue Note a regular stop. The venue has also become a platform for emerging talent across soul, R&B, funk, and hip hop, a fitting setting for a Brooklyn rapper whose work is rooted in melody and musicality.
For Kota, stepping onto that stage carries real weight.
“The Blue Note has hosted some of the greatest musicians ever, so stepping onto that stage is an honor,” Kota stated in an official press release on NYC Newswire. “I’ve always respected the musicians who came before me, the ones who made the music that shaped my sound. To share my art in a space built on that legacy means everything.”
A Return to the Music Behind the Music
While Kota is widely recognized as a rapper and producer, fewer fans know he is also a trained musician. His background includes classical trumpet and jazz theory, studies that shaped the warm, layered, and instrument-driven style he’s become known for. Before his breakout projects Foto, Lyrics to Go, or his most recent No Rap on Sunday, Kota spent years learning composition, harmony, and musicianship.
The Blue Note performances will bring that early training to the forefront. With a full band behind him, Kota plans to reimagine selections from his catalog, from the reflective “Colorado” to the uplifting “Good Friday,” giving each song new depth in a room built to highlight live sound.
Carrying Independent Hip Hop Into a Classic Space
Kota the Friend has built his career entirely outside the major-label system. Through his FLTBYS (Flight Boys) brand, he’s created a global audience by staying independent, retaining ownership of his music, and focusing on authenticity instead of industry shortcuts. His No Rap on Sunday tour reinforced his ability to move crowds across North America on his own terms.
Closing out the year with two nights at the Blue Note reflects the full-circle nature of his journey as a hip hop artist honoring the musical traditions that shaped him, performing in one of the most storied venues in the world.
Event Details
Kota the Friend Live with Band
December 2–3, 2025
The Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City
Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/kota-the-friend-with-live-blue-note-jazz-club-tickets/14663733
