15 August 13 - 19, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents THE BEST HIP-HOP AND R&B CONCERTS COMING TO NORTH TEXAS IN AUGUST THE HOTTEST SLICE OF SUMMER IS BRINGING THE HEAT TO THE STAGE FOR SOME OF THIS YEAR’S BIGGEST SHOWS. BY BRYSON “BOOM” PAUL T he summer tour season is known for bringing some of the year’s best shows to town. And yes, that still in- cludes during the throes of unforgiving Texas heat. Fortunately for us, though, the vast majority of the can’t-miss tours this month are coming through indoor venues with robust A/C. From rap legends like Lil’ Wayne and Rick Ross, to next-generation stars like Bryson Tiller and Don Toliver, this month will keep your concert calendar fully booked. Don’t sleep on the many high- ly-anticipated shows still to come in 2026, though. August 13: Nine Vicious at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall Young Thug’s most promising protege is embarking on an international tour in sup- port his “Emotions” album, and his recent shows seem to be scoring rave reviews. This one will likely see Vicious’ chaotic energy, distorted melodies and bass-heavy produc- tion that have propelled him from the un- derground. If you’re the type who likes to rage, this might make your list of best shows of the year. August 13: Don Toliver at American Airlines Center Don Toliver is spinning the block as his Nitrous: New World Tour returns to Dallas. In support of his latest album, “Octane,” the return proves that this show is worth a sec- ond look, and you better not waste the op- portunity. Last June, Toliver gave an audience at the same venue an experience that is still being talked about. With his own endless inferno of sorts, magnetic energy and surprises, his live performances serve as proof of why he is arguably the best artist in today’s hip-hop landscape. August 15: Slayr at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall Slayr was named one of this year’s cov- eted XXL Freshmen, a feat that delivers newfound hype and arrives just in time for the Philadelphia rapper’s Half-Blood Tour. On his first-ever headlining run, he per- forms a fan-curated setlist from his break- out mixtape and its deluxe edition, Bloodluxe. And, with sold-out shows in other major cities on the tour, you don’t want to wait around on getting tickets for this one. August 20: Jacquees & K Camp at South Side Ballroom Jacquees and K Camp’s signature rendi- tions of Atlanta R&B have established unde- niable influence in the genre. At South Side Ballroom, the duo will co-headline the Us Over Dem Tour, blending Jacquees’ power- ful vocals with remixed love songs and K Camp’s raunchy, sex-playlist cuts. If you were lucky enough to catch BigXthaPlug’s hometown birthday bash in May at Dos Eq- uis Pavilion, you already know K Camp will turn the party. August 22: Rick Ross at Winspear Opera House Rick Ross is celebrating the 20th anni- versary of Port of Miami at possibly the most unexpected venue in the city, and with an orchestra. His 2006 debut record trials the rise of the Miami rap star through thrilling, street-influenced storytelling. We’re partic- ularly excited to hear orchestral re-work- ings of Rozay hits like “Hustlin’,” “Push It” and “I’m Bad.” The event suggests tuxedos and gowns — he is “The Bawse,” after all. August 27: Lil’ Wayne at Dickies Arena Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter” album trilogy transformed him into widely being consid- ered the best rapper alive. So, as he celebrates 20 years of greatness, we expect Weezy F. Baby will roll into Fort Worth to show us ex- actly why he holds that legacy. “Tha Carter” album introduced the fireman, “Tha Carter 2” was his best work ever, and “Tha Carter 3” made him legendary. In Fort Worth, genera- tions of Wayne fans will be jumping so hard to cuts like “A Milli,” “Go DJ,” “Lollipop,” “6-Foot-7-Foot” and “Got Money” that we’ll probably feel it from here in Dallas. August 31: Bryson Tiller at Dos Equis Pavilion Bryson Tiller’s debut album, 2015’s “Trap- soul,” is one of the best R&B albums of its generation. Now, as the NEO Trapsoul Tour heads to South Dallas, we’re not ashamed to admit we’re hyped for the nostalgia that comes with celebrating an album that changed R&B music forever. You can expect some big surprises from the Kentucky native as he performs mega hits from the era, such as “Don’t,” “Exchange” and “Rambo.” ▼ COUNTRY MUSIC COUNTRY BLUES FROM KID ROCK TO MORGAN WALLEN, THERE ARE PLENTY OF DOUCHEBAGS IN COUNTRY MUSIC. SO WE TOOK THE TALL ORDER OF PICKING THE 10 DOUCHIEST. BY ALYSSA FIELDS T here’s a chasm in country music that widens daily. On one side lie the MAGA Southern traditionalists who performed at Turning Point’s “All-Ameri- can” Super Bowl halftime rival show; on the other lie artists like Kacey Musgraves, Garth Brooks and Orville Peck who understand that you can love both Pride Month and the banjo. Somewhere in the middle are polariz- ing, outspoken artists like Charley Crockett, whose recent firing of his Satanic doo-wop openers, Twin Temple, days before their shows (ironically just for being Satanists might flirt with lists like this. He’s usually got some pretty good takes, though, so he’s spared by a home court advantage. But this isn’t solely about the douchebags who kept their slot on the official Freedom 250 Concert up until its last-minute formal cancellation. Country music has plenty of douches to choose from, whether it be musi- cians throwing around slurs, facing accusa- tions of emotional abuse and bribery, or just kind of being a general nuisance. It’s a genre built on the thematic crutches of booze, women, jacked-up pickups, ex- treme redneck sports and spring break, so how good could they really be? And with the current surge of country music’s popularity, we’ve never had more options to choose from for the ultimate d-bag. In fact, two of the people on this list were name-dropped in separate courtrooms just last month. It was hard to narrow it down, but we’ve compiled a top 10 for the biggest douche- bags in country music, in no particular or- der, because we really couldn’t choose the worst between the last five. 10. The artists canceling their tours There’s a growing and criticized trend in country music: canceled tours. Already this year, a handful of country artists have can- celed entire tours, leaving fans disappointed. TikTokker turned Music City resident and singer Tayler Holder and rising Canadian artist Colter Wall both canceled their tours, with limited warning, to focus on their men- tal health. We’re all for rest and restoration, but we empathize with the fans who coordi- nated babysitters, time off, transportation and spent their hard-earned money for just a few hours in the same room with their fa- vorite musician. Country legend Kenny Chesney called out the pattern on a recent podcast appearance, saying that trying to avoid canceling at all costs is a part of “show business.” Chesney notoriously played an arena show after his foot was crushed in a hidden stage elevator mid-show, breaking several bones. He hobbled through the re- mainder of the tour dates, and for that, he didn’t make this list. 9. Bailey Zimmerman By now, destroying a hotel room is practi- cally a rite of passage for any musician thrusted into the spotlight. Bailey Zimmer- man checked that off his bucket list in June of this year when he was hit with a felony charge for damage to property after cancel- ing a concert in Albuquerque on the basis of illness. Instead of performing, Zimmerman seemed to have a grand old time until Sandia Resort and Casino accused him of causing $16,000 in damages to his room. The charges were dropped, and the slate was wiped clean when Zimmerman footed the repair bill in full. He earns points for paying for the losses, but it’s also kind of a classic douche move to make problems go away with a check. 8. Travis Tritt If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of Travis Tritt, consider yourself lucky. The country star, who had a shocking amount of chart-toppers in the ‘90s, relaunched himself into the public eye for all the wrong reasons. First, in 2020, he took it upon himself to block every user on X who was using Black Lives Matter hashtags, believing it would counteract the spread of any anti-Republican sentiments. Then, in 2021, he canceled all shows at venues with vaccination and mask mandates. And finally, in 2023, he spear- headed a Bud Light boycott after a transgen- der influencer was tapped to be the beer’s spokesperson. He’s kind of just anti-every- thing, which never bodes well for a genre supposedly built on working-class struggles. 7. Gavin Adcock We couldn’t name one Gavin Adcock song, but we could recite the entirety of Be- yoncé’s Grammy-winning album “Cowboy Carter.” However, Adcock, proclaiming himself the official arbiter of the country genre, took issue with Beyoncé, arguably the most famous Texan of all time, receiving ac- colades for her adept turn toward country music, saying, “You can tell her we’re com- ing for her fuckin’ ass. That shit ain’t coun- try music and it ain’t ever been country music and it ain’t gonna be country music.” The singer doubled down after being criti- cized for his hot (and stupid) take. If he’s the country music maestro he claims to be, he should know better than to mess with Texas. And for the record, Charley Crockett thinks her album is more than country enough. 6. Blake Shelton Blake Shelton hasn’t done anything mor- ally reprehensible that we know of, but he did write “Boys ‘Round Here.” And Gwen Stefani has also become a shell of her former self ever since she married him, and that’s kind of unforgivable. So, for that, we warmly welcome him to our list. ▼ Music Lil Wayne is coming to North Texas soon. Mike Brooks >> p16
