Meet the Bands of MusicfestNW Presents Project Pabst 2017: Noname

Sophisticated and thorough, Noname dissects social complexities with jazzy grace, injecting astute and often playful social commentary into classic R&B sounds.

We're only a few week away from MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst! As the festival gets closer, we'll be introducing you to each of the 18 acts on the lineup, one at a time.

Noname

WHO: Fatimah Warner

SOUNDS LIKE: Slam poetry set to after-hours jazz at Chicago's best underground lounge.

FOR FANS OF: Erykah Badu, Chance The Rapper, Outkast, Solange

LATEST RELEASE: 2016's timely, cathartic and silky smooth Telefone.

WHY YOU CARE: Ms. Warner launched into the musical fore a few years back after appearing on Chance the Rapper's sophomore mixtape. The Windy City native's stop-on-a-dime lyricism is among the best around, lapping most of her hip-hop peers after just a few stanzas. Sophisticated and thorough, Noname dissects social complexities with jazzy grace, injecting astute and often playful social commentary into classic R&B sounds. Noname's gift as an emcee harkens to the era when studio Band-Aids weren't around to veil average ability. The list of prominent names eager to collaborate with the speedy rapper is ever-growing—see her recent work with Thundercat, Mick Jenkins and many more.

SEE IT: Noname plays MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst at Tom McCall Waterfront Park on Sunday, Aug. 27.

MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst is Aug. 26-27 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Get tickets here.

Welcome to MusicfestNW presents Project Pabst || An Annotated Guide to Iggy Pop's Body || Beck's Multiple Personalities || A Super-High Die Antwoord Videography || Nas' Greatest Beefs || Father John Misty: Genius or Troll? || How I Learned to Love Spoon || Five Facts About Lizzo || Filthy Friends Q&A || Frankie Cosmos || White Reaper || RVIVR || Noname || FIDLAR || Whitney || Pup || San Fermin ||  The Last Artful, Dodgr || Lithics || Beer, Food, Games & More

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.