The Gramophone spun a hot one Friday night when Black Spade celebrated his new,  must-get CD “To Serve With Love” at the concert club.

And he brought along some special friends to help the joy. 

Though the Black Spade & Friends show was centered around the rapper’s energetic performance and keep-it-real flow, he often retreated to the background to allow for a number of mostly underground St. Louis rappers and singers to perform their original material in non-stop succession.

Gotta Be Karim, Vandalyzm, Tef Poe, Nato Caliph, Jada Avenue, Space, Teresa Jenee, C. Jay Conrod, Melody Graves, Family Affair, and more were among those bringing the heat.

Among the artist types  spotted in the full crowd were Coco Soul, Lamar Harris, Aloha Mischeaux, James Glasco, Bradd Young, Wildmann, and Vice.

Black Spade has a gig coming up in New York City in June, followed by dates in Barcelona.