Tonee Hayes—better known by his regal stage name, Nef the Pharaoh—is making a major mark on the Bay Area’s hip-hop scene. The young Vallejo rapper has been melding the hyphy influences of his youth with a decidedly modern sound since his 2015 breakout single, “Big Tymin”—now a well-loved regional anthem. His latest mixtape, The Chang Project, features a playful collage of Bay-centric slang and inventive onomatopoeia, as well as trap rhythms and slurring auto-tune warbles. Informed by local legends like Mac Dre and E-40, Nef puts his own whimsical twist on the 707 sound.
Nef the Pharaoh
Fri, 10pm, $10+
Pure Lounge, Sunnyvale
