By CLTure
March 10, 2026
Earl Sweatshirt is hitting the road this summer with rapper MIKE and Harrison from the collective Surf Gang with stops in Charlotte and Raleigh. The influential alternative hip-hop artists will perform at The Fillmore on July 15 and at The Ritz on July 17. This will be Earl Sweatshirt’s first performance in Charlotte since 2019.
The announcement comes on the heels of news that Sweatshirt, MIKE, and the NYC-based hip‑hop/rap collective and record label Surf Gang are releasing a collaborative double LP, POMPEII // UTILITY, due out on April 3. Both Sweatshirt and MIKE have also collaborated with Charlotte’s own Mavi on his latest album, The Pilot, and toured with him last year.
Earl Sweatshirt rose to prominence from the formative Los Angeles music collective Odd Future (Tyler, the Creator, Syd, Casey Veggies, Matt Martians, Hodgy, and Taco), gaining early attention for his intricate rhyme schemes and vivid storytelling. Over the past decade, his music has evolved toward a more experimental, introspective sound rooted in lo-fi production, abstract lyricism, and unconventional song structures. Albums like Doris and Some Rap Songs helped shape the modern alternative rap landscape and influenced a wave of underground artists exploring more minimalist and emotionally raw hip-hop. Sweatshirt released his fifth studio album, Live Laugh Love, in 2025.
MIKE has emerged as one of the leading voices in the contemporary underground rap movement, known for his warm, sample-heavy production and deeply reflective writing. Rising out of New York’s independent rap scene, he has built a devoted following through prolific releases and collaborations with artists in the experimental hip-hop sphere, including Sweatshirt, Mavi, and Navy Blue.
His 2017 breakout album May God Bless Your Hustle and later projects like Tears of Joy helped define the lo-fi, diary-like aesthetic now central to the underground rap scene. MIKE released Showbiz! in 2025 and followed it with a collaborative project with producer and rapper Tony Seltzer in May.
Artist presale begin Wednesday, March 11 at 10 a.m. (EarlSweatshirt.com) with tickets going on sale to the public on Friday, March 13 at 10 a.m.
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