SOBs
Wednesday, March 13, 1100 Warehouse

Presented by legendary New York City venue SOBs, this showcase is one for the more discerning rap fans who can’t be bothered with the cloying retro revivalism of Joey Bada$$ and his Pro Era crew. While Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul headline representing their LA-based Black Hippy posse, we’re most excited about the appearance of Young Scooter, who dropped one of our favourite mixtapes ‘Street Lottery’ last month. Elsewhere certified weirdo and cloud rap acolyte Deniro Ferrar pops up, and newcomer Travi$ Scott holds it down for the G.O.O.D. Music crew.

Southern Hospitality
Wednesday, March 13, Silhouette (DJ Set)
Thursday, March 14, Avenue on Congress Rooftop (Showcase)

Piecing together not one but two shows this year, London’s “purveyors of party rap” Southern Hospitality have really pulled out all the stops. As you can imagine both lineups are extensive, but highlights would have to be appearances from Brit turntablist DJ Yoda, rap veteran Count Bass D, Triple Six alum Gangsta Boo, akaFRANK, 100s, Iamsu! and YG. Anyone who’s been nosing around the contemporary underground rap scene over the last couple of years should check this one out without another thought – there’s no way it isn’t gonna be crazy.

Lawless Inc.
Thursday, March 14, Club 119

Anyone who’s been following FACT favourite King Louie’s ambitious ‘track-a-day’ #Marchmadness project in the last couple of weeks will want to pay attention to this one. Chicago rap imprint Lawless Inc. have put together a comprehensive lineup of the city’s finest talent including Big Bankin’ Boi, Chance The Rapper, Lil Mouse, Lil Durk, Katie Got Bandz and of course King Louie himself. This is our pick for the most ratchet event of the week, so if you’re into the windy city’s heavier-than-lead drill movement, we’ll see you there.

RZA’s Soul Temple Showcase
Thursday, March 14, Scoot Inn

Showcasing his Soul Temple label, it looks like RZA has called in a little help from his friends for this Wu Tang Clan-heavy lineup. Clan vets Inspectah Deck, U-God and Ghostface Killah provide solo shows, while the lineup is buoyed by a performance from the Adrian Younge Band in support of their Ghostface collaboration. Ex-Slum Village man Elzhi and founder member of Main Source Large Professor round things off – this is one for the heads, that’s for sure.

Mass Appeal
Friday, March 15, Austin Music Hall

Recently relaunched magazine Mass Appeal have put together arguably the week’s most hotly anticipated rap event, with MTV ‘hottest MC’ Kendrick Lamar taking the headline spot. If this isn’t enough to get you into a wild frenzy, they’ve managed to round things out with FACT fave Danny Brown, Clipse don Pusha T, Southern legend and all-round nice guy Bun B and smokin’ hot producer Harry Fraud, who is set to be accompanied by ‘friends’ (we’re guessing French Montana and Smoke DZA but who knows).

Fade to Mind / Night Slugs
Friday, March 15, 8pm-2am

The iconoclastic sister labels will showcase talent from both sides of the Atlantic: label bosses L-Vis 1990, Bok Bok, and Kingdom are joined by globetrotting beatsmith Fatima Al Qadiri, ballroom prince MikeQ, club futurists Nguzunguzu and Total Freedom, and up-and-coming vocalist Kelela for one of SXSW’s finest collections of talent.

Brooklyn Vegan
Friday, March 15, 8pm-2am

The New York trendwatchers at Brooklyn Vegan have assembled an interesting showcase, bringing together underground rappers Mykki Blanco, Brooke Candy, and Zebra Katz and producers Pictureplane, Giraffage, and XXYYXX; it’s a fitting cross-section of their hometown sounds.

Boiler Room
Saturday, March 16, 8pm-2am

Boiler Room heads south for a spectrum-hopping warehouse broadcast: Skream and Mount Kimbie nail down the evening’s dance music, Chief Keef and the GBE Squad handle street rap, and trapsmiths Baauer, RL Grime, Lunice, and Shlohmo occupy the space in between (as usual, Death Grips defy easy classification). Thankfully, like all Boiler Room events, this one will be streamed online, too.

True Panther Sounds/Terrible Records
Saturday, March 16, 8pm-2am

Like Boiler Room, True Panther and Terrible Records have teamed up for an evening of anything-goes programming, with a lineup that ranges from the provocative party rap of Le1f, to the spaced out beatmaking of Supreme Cuts and Cashmere Cat, to the weird pop of Majical Cloudz.

Numbers
Saturday, March 16, 8pm-2am

The Glasgow label descends on Austin, bringing a handful of FACT favorites to the heart of Texas: Rustie, Jackmaster, and Oneman headline, but expect fierce sets from Redinho, Sophie, Spencer, and P.O.L. Style, as well.