Turner Hall Ballroom:  1040 North Vel R Phillips Ave.   

Xavier Wulf is a man possessed. When he has a dream or sets a goal, it consumes him. When he hears a beat, it takes over his body, commanding him to speak, shout, and let out the rage. As an artist and a person, he is quite literally driven by something beyond himself — maybe that’s a little on the nose for a rapper known for his deep love of street racing and drifting, but it’s also an apt description for his process. When Xavier clicks with an instrumental, he closes his eyes, puts the lyrical pedal to the floor, and lets it all out, following whatever road feels right.

Xavier might be one of rap’s reigning underground kings, but he readily admits that he didn’t get to where he is alone. Xavier lets the music come to him, opening up his inbox to beat submissions from fans, a way of giving back to his supporters while also finding new styles and undiscovered voices. “When I was growing up listening to Three 6 Mafia and Memphis music, I wanted to get my own piece of that sound. Now kids listen to my music, and they want their own piece of it, they want to make something like that too.” For over a decade now, Xavier Wulf has been consumed by a spirit outside himself to create—his music possesses, haunts, and pushes his listeners too.