Tribe Minded — The Name of the Game
- Margo Roysdon
- Aug 25
- 4 min read
Radio Artifact Session with Riah Bella & Devin Burgess
“I feel like music is a time capsule of our emotions…”
Worlds collided at the fourth installment of Beyond the Stage Sessions at Radio Artifact Friday, July 11th. The BTS team had the opportunity to sit down with Riah Bella and Devin Burgess, to talk craft, passion, inspiration, and explore the multitudes to which each artist is beholden. Both revealed as hometown rivals (Lakota East and Lakota West, respectively) and paying homage to the name of the game— reminiscent of the age-old idiom “it takes a village”. The evening also featured an interview and album release for local hip-hop artist, P with the Drip’s Dripism.
Riah Bella
“You find yourself in the sound versus the sound finding itself within you… this is my testimony, this is my story…”
Riah Bella kicked off the night with a variety of featured guests, many of whom she touted as her close friends, presenting a united front of talent. Duetting with the likes of Siri Imani, Brandy Renee and company. Her poetic address was captivating, with a voice and beats smooth as honey, coupled with a mesmerizing backdrop of visuals.
Riah talked about her experience at SXSW in Austin, TX the past few years, among her proudest moments. What began for her in 2018 as just an attendee- from which point she promoted her artistry and brand- transformed over the years into getting booked as an R&B artist along with her talented entourage and creative collaborators. The collective has now evolved (as of 2024) into not only performing, but taking on a role of storytelling through interviews, reels and podcasts.
She credits her passion for storytelling to humble beginnings at Lakota East High School where she discovered her love for journalism. Recounting her time spent as the school’s radio host and magazine editor, she said she actually got to be the first to interview Black Owned, “when they were still trapping out the trunk.”
Riah’s biggest motivation in life comes from her role as a mother. Though she notes what really inspired her to start making music was trauma, “I needed a release, a way to get that shit out.” Her authenticity allows her audience to see their own stories reflected in her truth. You can find Riah Bella on Instagram @riah_bella, where she documents all of her passion projects and musical endeavors.
Devin Burgess
“I just do whatever feels true to me. I’m tapped into the frequencies. This shit is so much bigger than me, its beyond…”
A man who wears many hats: performing artist, sound engineer, event coordinator, and a master producer in his own right, Devin lets intuition guide his artistry. With over ten years clocked in the local music scene, his hip-hop roots have led him to a “jungle” drum and bass sound as of late. He muses on finding different versions of himself within each era of his sound, his music evolving with him.
“Whichever way the wind blows me, that’s where I’m gonna go, as long as it's true to myself.”
Devin feels a sense of obligation as a mouthpiece of his ancestry, noting this as the strongest compass for navigating all his creative endeavors. He also notes, “…having good strong women in your life…” as a key motivational driver and critical foundation for staying grounded. His mother was not far from his side the whole night, re-enforcing this sentiment in real time.
You can keep up with Devin on Instagram @devinburgessmusic, where he plugs all his newest tracks and his own takes on a variety of topics.
Artist Highlight: P with The Drip
“I walk in the room and you see the light on me.”
Rapper, dancer and mother of six, Paris Zellars just released their first EP at the start of this year called ‘Trap EP’, acting as an introduction as to her craft. ‘Dripism’ however she describes as more “inter-dimensional,” is a look inside the mind of Paris, what makes the clock tick so to speak. It's an album grounded in her beliefs as a human being and essence as an artist. She also notes ‘Dripism’ as a nod to Eryka Badu’s first album ‘Baduism’.
P said the feature she was most excited for is a track entitled ‘The Most’ written and performed with her brother. “He’s the reason why she got into rap”, she recounts sneaking into his room and snatching his mixtapes as a young person.
The artist name, P with the Drip is a bit of a double entendre. Her grandmother was a tailor, though she credits her unique style to her lineage on both sides. Moreover, she explains, “Biblically when a king was anointed, they would take a horn and fill it with oil and drip it on their head.” You can stream ‘Dripism’ on Spotify or Apple Music now, and follow Paris’ blossoming artistry on Instagram @pwiththedripbigdrip.
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