Dave East and Launch Music Conference & Festival

Harlem-based MC Dave East, known for gritty street narratives, mixes '90s New York hardcore rap with modern sounds. Discovered by Nas, East gained fame with mixtapes leading to Billboard-charting releases like Kairi Chanel and Karma 3. He also acted as Method Man in Hulu's Wu-Tang series. Collaborations include Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and The Lox's Styles P. He released albums Like Book of David (2022) and Fortune Favors the Bold (2023) and worked with Scram Jones on 2024's For the Love.