Last October, the Inner Circle 5 show was produced in the middle of a world-shattering pandemic. It was mainly virtual, so while the large crowds and blasting speakers in your ears were missing,  the show seemed just as intimate and powerful while sitting in front of a computer. The show started off with an entertaining welcome by the host of the night Tamara B and Musa Majic. Then a list of your favorite DMV artists took the stage, starting with John Tyler,  Re-up Nelson, Ayotemi, Samwyse, Simi Liadi, Jimani Luv, and the group 20NVR. And of course, the night ended with an amazing performance from O-Slice, prominent rapper and core founder of the show, and with a singing of happy birthday to the young GOAT. I had the opportunity to sit with the team of individuals who were able to put on this amazing show and ask some questions about what it took to be so successful in a time of major change. 

When asking O-Slice what the Inner Circle is in her words, she described it as “an intimate concert with me and my friends, coming together and showcasing our art, and showcasing why the DMV has the best talent. The Inner Circle has the appeal of an open mic and network mixer. It's a show by artist, for artists,” O-Slice says. To a large degree, this approach came from her personal experience trying to establish herself as an artist. “I knew how hard it was to find places to showcase myself,” she adds. That's why the well-known rapper has made it her intention to invite other artists she has worked with and “feels [the] need to be seen by more people.” Segun Awe, a creative consultant for the event, added that it's essential to have something homegrown that supports local artists. He says: “People from this area are great at what they do, so we try to show this area as much as we can. The love for this area has been poured into the Inner Circle.” The team's belief in the DMV scene helps motivates and solidify the communitarian foundation that this show is built on.

Throughout the last four years, the show has been growing not only in support but in attendance. The Inner Circle 4 show had an attendance of 300 people, and their goal for the Inner Circle 5 was 400. But, of course, with new goals comes new issues. “The show has been growing every year. Every year we need a bigger and better space,” says Diamond Smith, the project manager. “We always try to find new and interesting locations that accommodate the numbers we bring out, or just the vibe we are going for,” O-Slice says. And every year, they seem to find a great space that does both. Whether it was at Halfsmoke for the Inner Circle 2 or at the Small Wooden Box for the Inner Circle 5, finding the best venue to host the show has always been of paramount importance for the planners. 

The venue is just one of the many ways they have built the Inner Circle’s identity over the years. From the beginning, O-Slice has always envisioned the show of having a unique feeling of intimacy for her fans, guest artists, and supporters. “It wasn’t [that] the Inner Circle 5 was the first heartfelt concert, like, it's been heartfelt since the very first one.”When first forming what this show should be and look like, O-slice envisioned “a def poetry jam, meets Unplugged, meets like a Tiny Desk... just like all of the intimate concerts coming together.” But after five years, the show has not only achieved, but it has exceeded those shows combined. When watching the Inner Circle 5 on my 16-inch laptop screen in my bedroom, I couldn't help but experience the show as if I were attending in person. The intimacy captivated you and was simply revitalizing as each performer stepped on screen. Diamond contends that a lot of the show’s success is due to O-slice handpicking everything from the selected artists, the choice of venue, the presentation of the show from the host, and even the camera angles. Everything was done to cultivate a virtually intimate, heartfelt experience. 

Moreover, because of O-slice and the Inner Circle team’s dedication, the Inner circle has matured into a stand-alone event outside of O-Slice herself. But a lot of the success can be attributed to loyal fans. “The fanbase really does make the vibe…to create the vibe is not just a one-sided affair,” says producer and music director Victor Bello. O-slice agrees, saying, “The audience is an extension of my fans...we all come together [and] people just come with good energy off bucks...like a heartwarming celebration.” 

COVID-19 changed everything in 2020. But for the Inner Circle team, that hadn’t stopped them from putting their all into the Inner Circle experience. “Like, literally, it took everyone on this team to make the event as successful as it was,” says Victor. The pandemic made it particularly difficult to find a venue. “Some people cursed us out for trying to book their venue,” says O-slice. Any event planner can agree that finding the right venue is tough enough even without the extraordinary challenges of pandemic restrictions. But luckily for the Inner Circle 5, the planners were able to find a venue that was not only available for them but that “actively believed in what we were trying to do.” Initial determinations from the venue management concluded that the show would have to be completely virtual. But the need for an audience of any size to be physically present was a key priority for the planners-- for the performers’ sake. As Diamond explains it: “we [needed] some type of audience for the people performing. They need to feel people’s energy.”

Artists all around the world have been having a tough year since the pandemic started. “This year looked so strange from an artistic lens,” says O-slice. As an artist, the ability to perform is not just something you make money from, “but actually revitalizes our spirits.” O-slice recalls how at the end of the show, many of the artists were “telling me how much it meant to them and how much they missed it... it just made me feel so great.” The pandemic has caused many creatives to redefine how they share their art with their supporters and the world. And because of COVID-19, the Inner Circle team was able to find out even more of what they are capable of when it comes to that. Team member and publicist Tyannis Cater adds that the pandemic  “forced us to look at things differently and I appreciate the shift in perspective...and just say, like, thank God that we were able to do it.”  

With the Inner Circle 5 show’s great success, I asked them what would be some goals for the next show. “One is funding and sponsorship,” says O-Slice. The Inner Circle team realizes that the show can contend with other shows on a broad level, such as the Broccoli Fest or Love Groove Festival. “The Inner Circle will stand apart because...it has an identity of its own...and is something they can’t find anywhere else,” says Segun. Another thing O-Slice looks forward to is performing her first album at the next Inner Circle. Diamond also envisions having exclusive Inner Circle merch released by the next show for the fans. O-Slice is also interested in possibly integrating virtual elements into future performances.

If there is an upside to a world-changing pandemic, it’s that humans have shown our unique ability to adapt quickly and creatively to move forward. Our ingenuity not only allows us to think of new ways to reach goals but also how to raise the bar and aspire to exceptional heights. “We’ve proven that there’s worth..something the community needs and appreciates,” says O-Slice. One thing’s for sure, nothing can stop the Inner Circle team from putting on this singular show, and a pandemic is no exception.