Stage Smoke & Studio Heat: Exclusive Access to the Underground Rise in Topeka

 

You could feel it before the first verse even dropped — that tension in the air when you know a night’s about to spiral into something unforgettable. It happened at Sound Peak Studios, and it came fast. Grizz Lee, Socky, Yxng Ched, and JCO lined up for a live performance that lit the whole space up like a fuse. The cameras rolled. The walls shook. Every verse hit like a warning shot.

This wasn’t just another recording night — it felt like a checkpoint for the city. A reminder that Topeka isn’t just part of the conversation anymore; it's driving it.

And while the smoke was still clearing from that show, we found ourselves across town, backstage at Artismo Gallery and Bistro with none other than Born Divine — a member of the iconic Wu-Tang Killer Bees. Let that sink in. Real Wu-Tang lineage, right here in the middle of the Midwest.

We had green room access, the kind of pass that gets you close enough to hear the truth. Born wasn’t just there to perform — he was there to connect. To talk legacy, energy, and the new names lighting up this city. One of those names? Rosco Da G.

Rosco stepped on stage with something to prove and left with a room full of believers. It wasn’t just that he killed his set — it was the way the OGs nodded, leaned in, paid attention. That doesn’t happen by accident. That’s talent meeting opportunity and refusing to miss.

And the fire kept burning.

Sound Peak After Dark has been documenting it all — from Taiyamo Denku’s explosive appearance at Sound Peak Studios to a lineup of openers that felt more like a chosen squad: Kreepy Isotope, Raw Ki, D Revell, Leon Leon, Psyco G, Schwem, and Licky Nicky. Every performance carved out its own moment, now living on forever in the After Dark archive.

Back to Grizz Lee — the man moves in silence, but his presence is loud. Word is, a new album is creeping closer, and a tour isn’t far behind. Eyes are also on a possible collaboration with Schwem, whose performance during Denku’s show has people asking what’s next.

At Ray Church Exclusive, we don’t just cover the culture — we help shape it. We don’t ask for a seat at the table. We build the table, light it on fire, and film the whole thing live.

This is Topeka. This is Sound Peak. This is what rising talent looks like when nobody blinks and everybody’s watching.