Why go
Prince is the best-known name, but The Replacements and Hüsker Dü show a very different Minneapolis of clubs and guitar bands. Rhymesayers and artists such as Atmosphere and Brother Ali add a later hip-hop chapter. Explore the music through a current show as well as its history.
The full story
Minneapolis became nationally visible through several overlapping music scenes in the late twentieth century. Prince’s mix of funk, rock and electronic production helped define the Minneapolis sound. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, associated with The Time, went on to become influential producers. At roughly the same time, The Replacements and Hüsker Dü carried the city’s independent rock beyond Minnesota. Bob Dylan’s path was different: born in Duluth and raised in Hibbing, he began performing in the Minneapolis area before leaving for New York. Later Twin Cities hip-hop developed its own network around labels such as Rhymesayers Entertainment and artists including Atmosphere and Brother Ali. These histories make a useful listening map, but they do not point to one venue or one neighborhood that contains the whole story. For an evening out, look up a current performance and choose the artist and room on their own terms.