Teezo Touchdown kicks off Rolling Stone's Future of Music Showcase with a wild, head-turning charisma

six years ago, in the spring of 2018, Teezo Touchdown and some friends drove nearly 250 miles across Texas from their hometown of Beaumont to the state capital of Austin. SXSW was in full swing, bringing thousands of people each day to Main Street on 6th Street, where Teezo and friends set up. “We got a speaker and a microphone,” he recalled last night. “But we didn't have shows.” So, Teezo said, he poured his soul out right there on the street until the cops forced him to leave for performing without a permit.

He shared that memory from a very different vantage point: the Moody Theater stage, across town on Willie Nelson Boulevard, where Teezo headlined his first night Rolling rockSXSW's second annual Future of Music showcase to a crowd of 2,700 — his first proper headlining show at the festival.

In recent years, Teezo has established himself as one of the boldest and most original voices in music, winning over the likes of Drake and Tyler, the Creator and creating a digital cover as part of Rolling rockThe upcoming Future 25. list at the Moody Theater just hours after this story was published made a slamdunk case for exactly why it belongs there.

The evening began with an opening set from Chase Shakur, who strolled comfortably across the stage singing dazzling selections from his growing catalog including “Honda Civic '98.” An East Atlanta rapper who turned to singing a few years ago and found that people responded to his “R&B shit,” Shakur displayed impressively supple vocals backed by a hype man/DJ and a live keyboardist. The Def Jam signee closed out his set with his groundbreaking 2022 track, “Too Far Near”, whom he described as “the reason I'm here”. By the end of his set, he had room to bounce around.

Next up was Karrahbooo, another talent from A. (Note the spelling, if you will: “Three O's in 'boo, never forget it!'” he reminded the crowd in one verse.) Her playful talk-rapping resonates in singles like last fall “I am late,” and it translated well to the stage. The conversational flow and sense of humor that led Lil Yachty to sign Karrahbooo to his label, Concrete Boyz, last year was evident. She's not necessarily someone who feels the need to impress you, but – it's up to you to recognize the talent that runs steadily through her bars. If you pay attention, it's time well spent.

The energy was raised when her friend Anycia came out for a surprise for their naughty partnership “Splash Brothers”, bringing a flat charisma that perfectly complemented Karrahbooo's low-key vibe. “Big Booo, Big Ny-Ny, we like Steph and Klay,” Karrahbooo rapped. They make a really fun couple, and it was a treat when Anycia stayed on stage for another song. Would it be too much to hope we get a full album or at least a mixtape from them someday?

“Has anyone here been to New York?” asked DJ Ominaya before the next set. Whatever the answer, everyone got a taste of the town once Lola Brooke ran on stage. The Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn native has made a strong push to join the New York rap canon with releases like her debut LP, Dennis Daughter, and put in the work on stage, too, running around in a tarnished silver jumpsuit and spitting harsh verse after harsh verse. “Can we have some bars?” her DJ asked rhetorically and she complied with another quick spray of no nonsense lyrics. (“Ain't go from gongas to rich, I'm still in the tranches.”) One more question: “Texas, can I get a yerrrrr?” Lola asked the crowd. Sure she could.

Veeze emerged alongside the biggest cheers of the night so far. The Detroit MC rocked a very sparkly diamond chain and a hoodie with various corporate logos collaged to spell out the name Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous inventor of Bitcoin — a fashion choice that reflected the kind of sly, creative references he's made great art with. It was an understated but exciting presence as he performed songs from his studio debut, Ganger, makes you hear his sneaky punches up close. A lot of it was about how other artists are constantly trying to bite his style. “I'm the one who taught them how to walk on their beat, they gotta get me an apple,” he quipped on “GAIG.” “I feel like a proud dad when I watch YouTube,” he quipped on “Lick.” He delivered these lines casually, knowing he had the crowd on his side. not crazy, just having fun. “Shout out to you Rolling rock for having me here,” Veeze said at the end of his set. “I I am the future of music!”

DJ Rosegold, who served up hits between sets throughout the night, got the crowd moving once again. Then it was time for the main event — the one where young fans wore t-shirts with the name of Teezo's debut Touchdown in 2023, How do you sleep at night?, he expected it. The stage was dark as Teezo walked across the stage slowly, holding a bouquet of flowers and zooming into the room. He carefully placed the bouquet on a microphone stand in front of his face. Then, as the lights came up, he began to sing the falsetto intro “Careful,” one of the weird, catchy songs that helped him start pulling in an audience in 2020.

Teezo cut a striking figure on stage: black leather boots, trousers, jacket and gloves, and many of his signature studs in his hair. But it wasn't just the clothes. It was his physicality, the way he moved purposefully and then wildly, running around with a bouquet-mic in hand, demanding attention like the rock star that he is. After telling his story about busking at SXSW 2018, Teezo performed the most How do you sleep at night? ranging from the pop-punk anthem of “OK” to the alternative Eighties ballad of “UUHH” to the driving synth jam “Impossible” and more.

He made all these sounds completely his own with a kinetic, theatrical performance that was hard to take your eyes off. When he sang about getting down on his knees to beg on “You Thought,” he dropped to his knees. When she sang “Neighborhood,” an upbeat song that hides a haunting and slightly creepy parable about how we relate to each other, she drew the audience into unbridled attention.

Teezo invited those who thought they knew how to dance to gather in front of the stage and then showed off his own spontaneity/smooth moves to “Modern Jam,” his song by Travis Scott. Utopia — can play both his and Travis' parts. Petals from the microphone bouquet were all over the floor. The crowd loved it. The future felt like it was happening right then and there.

(Full disclosure: In 2021, Rolling Stone's parent company, P-MRC, acquired a 50 percent stake in the SXSW festival.)