Mari, Shareef Keyes & the Groove

Old Soul. New Vibes. Chicago-born Mari, already known for his “lyrically rich raps, melodic choruses, and spacey, soulful instrumentals,” made a splash in Fall 2016 after his Caribbean carnival-themed "Paper Run" cracked Spotify's US & Global Viral Charts. Mari is currently spending most of his time in New York City, developing his sound in the studio and working alongside artists including NanaBcool, Simen Sez and Matt FX. 2017 proved to be another strong year for Mari with a slew of collaborations, a slot at the A3C Festival in Atlanta, and a spot on Comedy Central's Broad City for his song, "On Fleek." He was most recently featured on American Teen producer UNO Stereo's "KEEP UP," described by Complex as "genre-bending" with "nostalgic flourishes."


Shareef Keyes is a Brooklyn raised funk artist drawing inspiration from a mix of legends like Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown, and Wu-Tang. Together with his band The Groove, Shareef has built a buzz around New York for his high energy, crowd captivating live performances.
Keyes’ forthcoming LP, Cooking Something, features a nostalgic sonic climate curated by the artist himself and his older brother, Glo'. The sibling duo spent countless hours at their private family-owned studio in midtown Manhattan, honing a distinctive sound that fuses ‘70s jazz-funk influences with a modern hip-hop undertone.

The twenty-five year old crooner has hand selected a team of NYC's finest young artists, assembling a twelve-piece band made up of musicians from Juilliard, The New School and Berklee College of Music. Known together as Shareef Keyes & The Groove, the band has played memorable performances for crowds at Harlem Arts Festival, Pianos, Bowery Electric, Public Factory, Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Webster Hall. In February 2017, Shareef Keyes & The Groove opened for jazz-funk pioneer and musical legend Roy Ayers in front of a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn’s BRIC House.

Keyes’ forthcoming LP, Cooking Something, features a nostalgic sonic climate curated by the artist himself and his older brother, Glo'. The sibling duo spent countless hours at their private family-owned studio in midtown Manhattan, honing a distinctive sound that fuses ‘70s jazz-funk influences with a modern hip-hop undertone.

The twenty-five year old crooner has hand selected a team of NYC's finest young artists, assembling a twelve-piece band made up of musicians from Juilliard, The New School and Berklee College of Music. Known together as Shareef Keyes & The Groove, the band has played memorable performances for crowds at Harlem Arts Festival, Pianos, Bowery Electric, Public Factory, Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Webster Hall. In February 2017, Shareef Keyes & The Groove opened for jazz-funk pioneer and musical legend Roy Ayers in front of a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn’s BRIC House.

Cooking Something is scheduled for release in Winter 2017 and will feature the iTunes singles “Potato Salad”, “Macaroni and Cheese”, and "Cornbread". Keyes will release his fourth single, “Spaghetti Fettucine” featuring Ghostface Killah ahead of the album’s release, introducing the world to his inimitable opus with an animated music video fit for audiences of all ages.