Griselda has been everywhere. Over the last decade, the sound of Westside Gunn’s signature gunshot shout has become one of the most notable ad-libs in all of hip hop. The record label — helmed by Gunn, Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine — has been a titanic force in shaping both sound and culture in a genre known for its fast-paced dynamism.
While the rappers’ penchant for precision and larger-than-life personalities has been a focal point for the crew’s meteoric rise, in-house producer Daringer has been defining the sonics for not only the trio but for a slew of rappers both on and off Griselda’s growing roster. And lucky for Denver, he will be pulling into town to play The Black Box next Thursday, June 26.
Daringer’s appearance will be the debut of For the Record, a collaborative quarterly from music, cannabis and lifestyle publication GetEmHigh and The Black Box. The series will be an ongoing celebration of sample-based hip hop producers like DJ Premier, Madlib, J Dilla and The Alchemist.
Choosing to open the series with Daringer was no accident, as the man’s sprawling catalogue has become emblematic of one of the most significant movements in modern rap. “In the case of Daringer, he’s not only transformed old records into new music, he’s reshaped the genre and changed the lives of the artists he works with. They’ve had massive success,” said GetEmHigh co-founder Nick Torres, who will be curating For the Record’s talent roster. “He’s influenced production over the last ten years and really brought boom bap and sampling into the limelight with the Griselda sound.” In addition to producing tracks, Daringer has served as Action Bronson’s tour DJ at numerous events.
This won’t be the first time Torres and The Black Box have collaborated. “I’ve done a handful of one-offs over the past five years,” said Torres, noting that he helped throw two events with legendary duo Blu and Exile, one in 2019 and the other in 2024. He was also instrumental in bringing DJ Low Key‘s roving hip hop party The Soulution to The Black Box. It was during the most recent Blu show that Torres says he found inspiration to create For the Record. “The Box wants to do hip hop. How can I do something that aligns with what they’re already doing? This is how we do hip hop Black Box-style,” said Torres, adding that the space was built to favor DJs and producers.
Local multi-hyphenate KNDRX will be the series’ official host and will be playing multiple sets at the opening event. Torres says fans can likely expect a special guest appearance as well. DLZMSBTS is setting things off.
For Torres, For the Record is more than just a party. It’s a salute to the culture and the people who make it happen, even from behind the scenes. “The reason I love hip hop is that people are making something out of nothing, there’s a transformative nature to it,” he said.
Daringer will play The Black Box on June 26. Doors open at 9 p.m., tickets are $30 and are available here.
The Black Box is located at 314 East 13th Avenue, Denver.