Congratulations, wealthy parents of Corona Del Mar, Yorba Linda, and OC's other rich areas, you've done what many areas spend decades struggling to accomplish: You've fully funded a vibrant hip-hop scene.
SoCal's best rap shows aren't happening in the heart of LA. Major acts aren't taking the 5 straight down from Hollywood to La Jolla. Just about everyone is stopping in OC, and the Observatory is hosting shows that aren't even bothering to stop in LA anymore.
This weekend, the Observatory held a festival (thankfully not in their parking lot, although some people spent more time in the Oak Canyon Park parking lot than in the venue itself) entirely dedicated to the rising hip-hop scene. Day N Night Festival never would've happened in many areas, because it required two things that don't often go together. It needed a young hip-hop crowd that would know and love many of the up-and-coming artists that were on the bill, and it needed a crowd with enough money to cover the over-$200 price of a wristband for the weekend.
Thankfully, OC is just the place for that. The massive park was packed with a crowd primarily between the ages of 15 and 22 — the same age range that generally crams into the Observatory until the fire marshal starts kicking people out.
Of course, most of these high school and college students probably weren't the ones actually footing the bill for the $200-plus ticket, $10 personal pizzas, and $7 beers (likely more if you're underage and have to pay someone to go get one for you). They weren't all tech prodigies or child actors who have hundreds to casually blow on a weekend with friends, they're just normal tank top- and crop top-wearing suburban teenagers with a passion for rap music.
And that's where you, the well-off parents come in.
Whether you directly gave your kids a $250 allowance to go to the show with their friends (plus some extra cash for necessities like chicken fingers and molly) or simply paid for all of their expenses so they could save up those Target paychecks to cover the cost on their own (and “understand the value of a dollar”), you're the real MVP of OC's vibrant rap scene. Without you, it wouldn't have been possible for your daughter to go topless during Bryson Tiller or your son to throw up in a trash can as a DJ plays Travis Scott's “Antidote” for the ninth time. Without you, Oak Canyon Park would've been virtually empty this past weekend and acts like Post Malone and Lil Yachty would've performed to a bunch of twentysomethings who were just there to hear the handful of A$AP Rocky songs they remember from college parties. Even the massive Polynesian security guards at the Observatory owe you thanks, as they would never get their routine workout of carrying a handful of unconscious teenagers out of the venue every time a member of Odd Future comes to town.
Despite obviously limited beer sales and one of the biggest logistical nightmares of all time, it sure seems like Day N Night was a success for the Observatory. As long as they made some money, that's about as good as a festival like Day N Night can expect to do, and there's really no reason for the Observatory not to do it again next year (maybe with better parking).
I think I speak for all of us who are somehow involved in OC's hip-hop scene when I say thank you, rich parents. Without your flexible allowances and willingness to overlook what your children are dressing like/doing at rap concerts and music festivals, none of this would be possible. Keep up the good work in allowing your kids to live their best lives and the rest of us to enjoy top-notch hip-hop.
Josh Chesler used to play baseball for some pretty cool teams, but now he just writes about awesome stuff like tattoos, music, MMA and sneakers. He enjoys injuring himself by skateboarding, training for fights, and playing musical instruments in his off time.