This night was a very special night for me. As a long time fan of Stones Throw, it was a complete honor to be able to capture some photos of their 20th anniversary as a label. Orlando’s very own DJ BMF warmed up the crowd with a mix of hip hop, funk, and samba accompanied by music videos being projected right behind the booth.

Around 10:30, MNDSGN of Stones Throw took the stage and brought the house down with his mix of keyboard work and live beat chopping. He even reworked improvised versions of such classics as “Find a Way” by A Tribe Called Quest and “I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You” by Leon Haywood.

Then came the moment the crowd had been waiting for. Stones Throw creator, Peanut Butter Wolf, and renowned DJ from the World Famous Beat Junkies Crew, J. Rocc, entered the stage and blessed the crowd with a mix of classic hip hop songs accompanied by rare footage of live performances and music videos from some of the label’s most prolific releases. The highlight of the night (in my opinion) was the intricate tribute to the late great J Dilla. PBW and J. Rocc played select samples from Dilla’s “Donuts” album and proceeded to chop and sample them live the way that Dilla had done on the album. Seeing the visuals to go along with the samples was breath taking as well and put into perspective the time and energy Dilla invested into mastering his craft. I never got to see Dilla perform live before he passed, but it was definitely a nice consolation to be able to meet his DJ and bask in the glory of the legacy he left behind. Enjoy select photos from the festivities below!