Capital STEEZ, one of the founding members of Pro Era, tragically took his own life on Christmas Eve of 2012. His absence has been felt through the collective and the New York rap community at large; now, his friends are trying to preserve his memory the only way they know how. Today (May 6), Joey Bada$$ and the rest of Pro Era announced the first annual Steez Fest. The show will take place on July 7 at the Central Park Summerstage in New York City. Tickets will be available through the Ticketfly website starting this Friday (May 8) at noon EST. Joining Joey and the rest of the crew will be fellow New York underground stalwarts The Underachievers and Flatbush Zombies.

STEEZ was introduced to most rap fans on Joey Bada$$'s 2012 mixtape 1999, appearing on the songs "Killuminati" and "Survival Tactics," the latter of which was a widely-disseminated single. That same year, his debut mixtape, AmeriKKKan Korruption, was released to a limited audience but significant acclaim. He would reissue the project that same year as AmeriKKKan Korruption: Reloaded. His death was preceded by text messages to his close friends and a tweet that read, simply, "The end." A posthumous album, King Capital, is expected some time this year.

RelatedToday In Hip-Hop: R.I.P. Capital STEEZ (July 7, 1993 – December 24, 2012)
Check Out Capital STEEZ & Dirty Sanchez’s New Video For “47 Piiirates”
Pro Era’s CJ Fly Says Proceeds From Capital STEEZ’s Album Will Go To Family
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