Local rapper Noochie debuts Front Porch series at the Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON — A local rapper is making his taking his viral front porch sessions to the Kennedy Center. 

WUSA9 first introduced you to Noochie last year, when his Front Porch Sessions went viral, featuring legends of D.C.'s go-go scene. Now, the DMV native is headlining his own concert at the Kennedy Center. 

"I was holding out for a concert [because] people kept wanting me to take it [to a place] for a concert but I was like, 'If we going to do it, it got to be the right joint.' I was holding out till I got the right joint, and now the first concert is going to be at the Kennedy Center," Noochie said.

Noochie has caught the attention of major brands, like Under Armour and Nike. He recently did a Jordan commercial. Artists like Tweet, Craig David, and Marsha Ambrosius have graced his porch, but now he'll have the opportunity to reach new audiences. 

"We did want to have a super impactful concert once we took it away from the porch. We wanted it to be something that was a notch up  or made people respect it more," Noochie said

"It is a stage where he is helping to uplift and celebrate the musical heritage of D.C.," said Simone Eccleston, Director of Hip Hop Culture and Contemporary Music at the John F. Kennedy Center. She, along with a dedicated hip hop council and artistic director Q-Tip, is working to make sure as long as hip hop culture has an audience, the artists who are a part of it have a stage.

"Really committed to ensure that the organization itself was reflective of the communities that we are really committed to serving," said Eccleston. 

The upcoming hip hop culture and contemporary music season at the Kennedy Center will feature Noochie, André 3000, DJ D-Nice and Masego. 

"It’s this beautiful mix of rising stars [and] culture icons but everyone is inventive, everyone is exploratory…and just so committed to sharing their artistry with others," Eccleston said. 

Noochie says people can expect to see a variety of artists during his set at the Kennedy Center, happening April 4, 2025.

"From R&B, hip hop, afro beat, gospel, go-go... We going to have everything in one show," Noochie said. 

When asked about how he was able to go from viral sensation to soon performing at the country’s national cultural center, Noochie credits his authenticity. 

"I feel like that’s how I got where I’m at just not doing what everybody told me to do and not trying to do the trendy stuff and just doing what I felt like was right and here we are," Noochie said.