Musicians on Musicians, the Rolling Stone franchise that pairs artists from across genres and regions for in-depth conversations about life, music and everything in between, is moving from the page to the stage. On Nov. 10, the first-ever Musicians on Musicians live event will take place at New York’s St. Ann’s Warehouse, featuring conversations and collaborative matchups between Lil Yachty with Tierra Whack and Jon Batiste with Gucci Mane.
Sponsored by iHeartRadio, the inaugural event celebrates Rolling Stone‘s fifth annual Musicians on Musicians issue, which hits newsstands in November and is currently available online. The format-spanning content highlights the wisdom and artistry shared between this year’s pairings, led by cover stars Snoop Dogg and Latto. The print issue also put Kelly Rowland in conversation with Victoria Monét, Becky G with Thalía, Omar Apollo with Lindsey Buckingham, Rema with Swizz Beatz, Grimes with Aespa, and Big Boi with J.I.D.
“We’re excited to bring ‘Musicians on Musicians’ to life for a live audience,” said Gus Wenner, CEO of Rolling Stone. “This is one of our most iconic series, and witnessing the magic of these pairings and performances on stage and in-person is very special. Jon Batiste & Gucci Mane and Tierra Whack & Lil Yachty will make for an incredible line-up.”
Tierra Whack and Lil Yachty share the common ground of their unconventional approach to hip-hop. In 2020, the two rappers released their first-ever collaboration, “T.D.,” which also featured knockout appearances from A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator. Gearing up for the release of her documentary Cypher, Tierra Whack has been thinking a lot about the visibility of celebrity, something that Lil Yachty has also explored within his own creative endeavors. “I just make all types of music,” Lil Yachty told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “It has nothing to do with the fruits and labors that don’t come with being a rapper, none of that. I like to make all music. That’s all it is, totally.”
Gucci Mane and Jon Batiste are less similar in sound but speak the same musical language. Batiste recently released his seventh studio album, World Music Radio, which he has explained was born from “a feeling of liberation in my life and a renewed sense of exploration of my personhood, my craft and of the world around me unlike anything I had ever felt before.” Similarly, Gucci Mane has released more than a dozen studio albums over nearly two decades that chased a comparable creative exploration.
That curiosity towards art and exploration is embedded in the advice Snoop Dogg delivered to Latto during their Musicians on Musicians conversation. “Let me give you one of my secrets,” the pop culture icon told the blazing young rapper. “I remain the biggest kid in the room at all times. Just keep the kid in you. Because that’s the inspiration.” It was something Latto had already been thinking about, which allowed it to resonate even more. “Somebody told me, ‘Whenever you not having fun no more, stop it. You got to figure out what’s stopping your fun,”” she recalled. “We blessed to be able to do a job that’s fun.”