October 15. Barclays Center.
The benefit’s theme was access to good schools. David Saltzman, director of Robin Hood, said that ‘the [show] will raise money for the most effective poverty-fighting tool there is: education.’
The second annual Tidal X: 1015 concert was a party with a cause. Held in support of the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization combating poverty in New York, the benefit concert (put on by the music-streaming service partially owned by Jay Z and Beyoncé) attracted thousands of concertgoers, some traveling from other continents, for a five-hour show that featured more than twenty artists. Established acts like Lauryn Hill, and up-and-comers like Lil Yachty, had the stage to themselves for a few minutes each. Some made better use of the time than others: In the spirit of public service, Nicki Minaj ripped Trump’s third wife, saying, “Barack needed a Michelle, and Bill needed a motherfucking Hillary. You better pray to God you don’t get stuck with a motherfucking Melania.” The Voice talked with attendees as they waited for the concert to start.
Text by Anita Abedian; Photography by Dina Litovsky for the Village Voice