Name: Freedom Sounds Like… donSMITH on Indie Filmmaking, Scoring & All That Jazz
Start: 2026-06-16T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-16T19:30:00-04:00
Location: 651 ARTS

$Freedom Sounds Like\u2026 donSMITH on Indie Filmmaking, Scoring & All That Jazz$

donSMITH screens BETWEEN GIGS and discusses filmmaking, music and creative process with collaborators.
About this Event

Jazz is a freedom sound. This Black Music Month, 651 joins with the Jazz Generations Initiative to explore the movements, meanings and legacies of jazz in American society, with free events across four Tuesdays in June. Each is paired with a show (also free) that Thursday at Café Erzulie.

Doors: 5:45 PM
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Duration: 75 minutes

ABOUT THE EVENT

Harlem-raised, LA-based emcee and multidisciplinary artist donSMITH screens short film "BETWEEN GIGS" and offers a Q&A alongside collaborators. Presented by the Jazz Generations Initiative.

The accompanying soundtrack, "OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID!", will be performed by donSMITH and his jazz-rap trio at on June 18th.

FEATURED ARTISTS & SPEAKERS

donSMITH

donSMITH is a multidisciplinary musician, writer and visual artist keen on telling raw, urban narratives in a vulnerable fashion. The Harlem-born, now LA-based emcee has a style reminiscent of '90s New York rap and jazz fusion, while maintaining a freshness in the contemporary hip-hop landscape. Notable releases from his jazz/rap fusion soundtrack “OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID!” include “Can’t Wait” and “Right Away”, having seen success on platforms like NBA 2k25 and Ohio Black . Live performance and jazz instrumentation have become a staple to the NY emcee’s catalog, as he has touched stages including LACMA’s Jazz Night Series in Los Angeles, and Summerstage in New York City, supporting household names like Wu-Tang Clan, Dave Ea$t, and Azealia Banks.

ABOUT JGI

The Jazz Generations Initiative cultivates creative futures in jazz performance and scholarship by celebrating the music’s past and keeping its present rooted in community.

ABOUT 651 ARTS

Since 1988, 651 ARTS has championed contemporary African Diasporic performance by supporting emerging artists, convening community and advancing new artistic visions. Rooted in Brooklyn, 651 ARTS preserves and celebrates Black cultural expression while serving as a home for innovation across the African Diaspora.