R&B Weekend: Where Black Music History Met Community Celebration

NMAAM’s Inaugural R&B Weekend Brought Three Generations Together for an Unforgettable Experience

This past weekend, the National Museum of African American Music launched something special—our first-ever R&B Weekend, a two-day celebration that brought together music lovers, history enthusiasts, and community members for an intergenerational experience that could only happen at the Home of Black Music.

From Friday night’s pre-concert party to Saturday’s intimate author conversation and culminating with our signature R&B Bingo, the weekend proved what we’ve always known: when you create space for authentic Black music culture, the community shows up ready to celebrate.

Friday: The Velvet Rope Experience

Nearly 75 Brandy and Monica fans gathered at NMAAM for The Velvet Rope, an electric pre-concert party that set the tone for the entire weekend. With DJ Smoke commanding the ones and twos and dynamic hosts Leah Bryant and Ty B bringing the energy, guests enjoyed trivia celebrating the legendary duo before heading across the street to Bridgestone Arena for the main event.

What made the evening particularly special? The diversity of our guests. Some were concert-goers looking for the perfect pre-show experience. Others were museum members who simply wanted to be part of something dope happening at their cultural home—even if they weren’t attending the concert itself.

The full-circle moment came when two past R&B Bingo grand prize winners attended the concert as guests, having won premium seats at Bridgestone Arena for a Black headliner artist. Their choice? Brandy and Monica, of course.

Saturday Afternoon: Mothership Connected

The weekend shifted gears Saturday afternoon when approximately 50 guests joined us for an intimate and revelatory conversation about the untold stories of women in funk.

Moderated by NMAAM’s own Sydney Watson, the discussion brought together Seth Neblett—author of Mothership Connected: The Women of Parliament Funkadelic and son of the Queen of Funk, Mallia Franklin—and Shirley Hayden of Parlet. The conversation was emotional, eclectic, funny, and deeply revealing, shining light on experiences that too often went unspoken in the music industry.

The afternoon included a special artifact unveiling of Shirley’s iconic gold butterfly mask from Parlet, along with archival photographs now on limited display at the museum. For those inspired to dive deeper into these stories, Seth’s book is available on Amazon, and NMAAM is offering a 30% discount code through University of Texas Press. Interested readers can email community@nmaam.org for details.

Saturday Night: R&B Bingo Brings the House Down

If Friday and Saturday afternoon were warm-ups, Saturday night was the main event. Over 100 people packed NMAAM for R&B Bingo, transforming our space into a Halloween-themed celebration of Black music culture.

DJ Smoke returned to work his magic on the ones and twos while emcee Billion Dollar Dex kept the crowd hyped and engaged. The costume contest alone was worth the price of admission—the winning trio came dressed as Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella, taking home Apple AirTags for their efforts. But they had serious competition: approximately 10 contestants represented everyone from Aretha Franklin and Missy Elliott to Aaliyah, Alicia Keys, and even Chris Brown. (Yes, there were two Salt-N-Pepa groups—great minds think alike.)

The prizes reflected NMAAM’s robust partnership ecosystem, featuring offerings from Nearest Green Distillery, Prince’s Hot Chicken, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville Predators, Nissan, and Apple. But beyond the giveaways, the evening created opportunities to educate guests about our first traveling exhibition, Jubilation!, and encourage them to become museum members and partners in our mission.

Dance breaks erupted throughout the night, particularly during 90s R&B segments where Monica and Brandy references brought the weekend full circle. The night closed with Whodini’s iconic “The Freaks Come Out at Night,” leaving guests dancing their way into the Halloween spirit.

Why R&B Weekend Matters

What struck us most about the inaugural R&B Weekend wasn’t just the attendance numbers or the energy in the room—though both were exceptional. It was the intergenerational mix of people, from Gen Z to Boomers, coming together in a safe, vibrant space that honored Black music culture in all its dimensions.

This wasn’t a club. It wasn’t a traditional museum program. It was something in between: a Saturday night experience where you could learn about funk pioneers, celebrate R&B legends, dance to classic hits, and connect with community—all under one roof.
R&B Weekend proved that NMAAM can serve as more than a museum. We’re a cultural gathering place, a community anchor, and a space where Black music history lives and breathes through shared experiences.

Looking Ahead

This was just the beginning. We’re already looking toward fall 2026 for the next R&B Weekend, taking the lessons learned and the magic created to build something even more special.
To everyone who joined us—whether at The Velvet Rope, Mothership Connected, or R&B Bingo—thank you for making history with us. And to those who missed it? Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.

Interested in attending future R&B Weekends or other signature programming at NMAAM? Become a museum member today and be the first to know about upcoming events. Visit nmaam.org or contact us at community@nmaam.org.

Special thanks to our partners: Bridgestone Arena, Nearest Green Distillery, Prince’s Hot Chicken, Nashville Predators, Nissan, and Apple. Your support makes experiences like R&B Weekend possible.