“Ain’t no show like Dope Shows.” After “Birthday Bash” earlier this month, which featured Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Gunna, and G Herbo, the production continues to live up to its slogan.
During Grammy weekend, dope Show founders Stephen Piner and Jamir Shaw pulled off the sell-out show at the Wells Fargo Center to feature some of music’s biggest superstars.
“We took six months to plan ‘Birthday Bash,’ and it happened in one day, where the show lasted six hours,” said co-founder Jamir Shaw. “It shows the level of growth over the past five years.
The two Philly natives founded the company back in 2017. The idea sparked from the lack of notable artists that would perform in the city of Philadelphia and teach young artists the details of how to put together a show.
Both Shaw and Piner recall their first show, The Filmore Philadelphia, which holds less than 500.
“Looking out into the crowd and seeing a sold-out Well Fargo Center compared to previous shows of 500 to 2,500 speaks to our consistency and taking everything we’ve learned to apply it to the next venture,” said Shaw.
According to Piner, their approach and level of execution remain the same, no matter the size of the venue. The size of the task is irrelevant because they have spent several years doing the work at such a high level.
Following a sold-out Wells Fargo Center crowd at “Birthday Bash,” Piner and Shaw refuse to take their foot off the gas pedal.
Last week they announced their next concert entitled, “Summertime Series,” in Boston, headlined by Lil Durk, G Herbo, Milly Z, and Toure. Toure recently signed to Dope Records as the label’s first artist.
“Before we signed Toure, we were fans of his,” said Piner. “There’s a viral video where he was on a sprinter (van) with Meek (Mill). We’re all from West Philly, so we thought there’s no better place than to start with the home team.”
Shaw adds that they are currently building a recording studio in Philly, where creatives can come to work on their craft.
“We want to make sure that any artists we work feel as if they are heavily supported like a major label, but at the indie level,” says Shaw.
In addition to their newfound label and upcoming show at Boston’s TD Garden (July 23), Dope Shows is currently cooking up a surprise later this Fall for their hometown.
Brace yourself, Philly because “Ain’t no show like Dope Shows.”
