The Element ignites: new artist collective seeks a space for Pittsburgh hip-hop

First and third photo by Capone. Second photo by Pat Hogan. Originally published in Pittsburgh Independent print issue #1, June 7, 2023.

Facing years of obstacles as an artist and feeling Pittsburgh lacked adequate performance spaces for hip-hop and R&B, rapper and producer Ramses (also known as Max) expressed his frustrations on social media.

His DMs “blew up” with messages from other rappers and hip-hop performers who shared his experiences: no callbacks, little promotion, and peculiar questions that artists in other genres didn’t seem to face.  

It turns out, Ramses found, that dozens of hip-hop artists–even some with close to a decade of music-making under their belt–were experiencing the same challenges.

Drawing on his background in nonprofit organizing, Ramses used lunch breaks from his day job for mass outreach to artists he knew from the scene, proposing they gather at Opya Studios in South Side to talk solutions.

That meeting, said Ramses, was packed with about 30 artists and would later evolve into The Element, an artist collective dedicated to hip-hop and R&B genres.

The members are driven by a central goal: to open and operate a dedicated hip-hop venue in Pittsburgh. Members–all working artists predominantly in their 20s and 30s–want a hip-hop “home base” where artists of the genre get paid fairly, perform in optimal conditions, reap the benefits of consistent promotion, and gain a platform for showcasing new music–things they said they haven’t experienced thus far in Pittsburgh. 

In just six months, the collective has organized five shows around Pittsburgh and attracted business development support from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Though they’re still fleshing out a business plan and determining leadership roles, The Element is sustained by a group of core members. The whole idea of a collective, Ramses stresses, is not about hierarchy, but about all who came together–from rappers and singers to producers, DJs and even a painter who designs merchandise–with the same mission to cultivate a fair, thriving hip-hop and R&B music scene. He emphasized that a collective has the power to gain recognition in a way that is otherwise inaccessible to an individual artist, opening more doors for everyone.

“Even though ya’ll told us no, we’re saying yes to ourselves,” said Samurae, a founding member of The Element. “We don’t need your door to open for us; we’re going to make our own.”

While Ramses initiated the movement, Samurae, who he knew from years in the scene, had a parallel dream. Ramses contacted her believing they shared the same community- and solution-driven mindset. Their visions merged and helped to attract other like-minded artists with the same drive to create change in the hip-hop scene.

There’s no timeline for getting a building, but they say they envision a space akin to DIY venue Collision, but with a specific focus on hip-hop, R&B, alternative R&B, and indie. 

 “With us making this venue, we're gonna have a space… where we can perform and express,” said Samurae. “People can just come to The Element and enjoy a show or have a paint night or, maybe, we have dancers come out and they're having a dance workshop. If you've ever watched ‘Step Up’ and how they have their like, creative, crazy house, that's kind of what we're trying to do–just music primarily.”

The Element is brainstorming what business model they’ll operate by. One possibility, said Ramses, is having artists pay a monthly fee while allowing them to keep all of their ticket sales. Another approach could be creating incentives for artists to get more fans in the door: ticket sale revenue would be split between the venue and artist with no additional fees involved, so the more fans in the door, the more money made, and the more cash in an artist’s pocket.

“I spent my 20s mostly performing in places like, not major venues. I did a lot of shows but it was me and my friends turning up in streetwear stores; basements and shit,” Ramses said. “And it's like, I would love to see young artists coming up be able to have a consistent… venue space where we can represent and give a home to all this talent we have in Pittsburgh.”

FRH Golden, a hip-hop artist and member of The Element, said he was excited, but skeptical when Ramses reached out.

“It’s clear that there is a real demand from artists and the community at large for a space that serves fans of hip-hop and R&B,” he said. “My skepticism lied in the history of Pittsburgh venues that often utilize Black culture to attract patrons, while systematically excluding Black artists and patrons.”

He said his skepticism subsided when he saw a wide array of artists already on board, highlighting The Element’s intentionality to “empower the voices and leadership of Black artists.” 

“In practice, The Element has not only worked to create a venue for the future but has already created an impactful ecosystem of creatives who are willing to support each other,” he said. “That ecosystem has the power to manifest much more than a venue–it can create equitable pathways to sustainable careers for creative entrepreneurs who have emerged from marginalized communities.”

Ramses and Samurae expressed their dissatisfaction with Pittsburgh being “behind the times” when it comes to supporting hip-hop and R&B creators. Besides using payment structures that keep artists from making substantial profits, most venues, Ramses said, also seem to “play it safe” by booking the same artists and genres while overlooking a robust hip-hop scene.  

“I like all kinds of music, but any night of the week in Pittsburgh you can go see a rock show; punk rock; folk; bluegrass; but you can’t go see a hip-hop show or an R&B show, maybe a couple of times a month?” Ramses said.

Samurae added that the culture fosters a sense of competition rather than collaboration, breeding a “crabs in a barrel” energy among artists. 

“It's like every man eats for themselves,” she said. “We do have people and groups and they support each other, but those don't have enough like, connectivity in it or support.”

“I think people in the industry of Pittsburgh… they’re waiting for the next big artist to come out, then they’ll support,” Ramses added. “But you gotta understand that artist is never going to come if there’s not a support system for a young artist to build their career.” 

Reflecting on The Element’s first show at Twenty Fifth Street Bar and Grill in South Side, Samurae and Ramses recalled the overwhelmingly positive and supportive atmosphere.

“I haven’t been to a lot of shows with the good vibes and energy and positivity as ours,” Ramses said. “Everyone in there just feels the energy in the room, having a great time supporting–with their heart–what we’re doing.”

“Our energy is contagious,” said Samurae.