‘There’s always room for more’

Local rapper and event planner J.Plantana is well-versed in being the change she wants to see in the world. From center stage to behind the scenes, she’s making waves in the area’s entertainment scene.

Plantana, 23, grew up in a musical family, with a grandmother who performed in a pit orchestra at a movie theater and a cousin who competed on the Netflix rap reality show “Rhythm + Flow.” However, though she took drum lessons and choir, her interest in making music didn’t blossom until high school.

“I was listening to the album ‘Amen,’ by Rich Brian. That was one of the first hip-hop albums I listened to,” she said. “I remember listening to it and being like, ‘I feel like I could do this.’ It was a weird epiphany moment because I was searching for a creative outlet and really couldn’t find one, and something just clicked. Music didn’t really do much for me until I kind of discovered that it can be more than just playing an instrument and learning how to sing classical choir songs.”

She draws musical inspiration from a diversity of genres, including rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco and Aesop Rock to pop musicians like Charli XCX and Remi Wolf.

“I’m also a really big K-pop fan,” she said. “Got7 is my favorite group — they’re really, really talented. They have really unique instrumentals, and they’re all self produced, so that’s really inspirational for me.”

In 2021, shortly after moving from her hometown of Plymouth, Michigan, to East Lansing to study organizational communication at Michigan State University, Plantana began performing her music live for the first time at venues like Mac’s Bar, the Fledge, the Avenue and the Robin Theatre. Of the local music scene, she said she enjoys “how alternative and experimental it is at times.”

Courtesy Night Alliance Attendees learn how to make a simple guitar at a Night Alliance event at Lansing Makers Network.

“I’ve heard so many interesting, unique sounds from people that I probably wouldn’t have heard on songs that I usually listen to. Even within hip-hop, I’ve heard so many different, diverse sounds from so many different people,” she said. “I’m always looking for more female- and queer-oriented events, but I think overall, I’ve found my place.”

That desire for more diverse and inclusive events pushed Plantana to found an event planning company, Night Alliance, in September 2024.

“I’m pretty passionate about social justice, equity and especially diversity. Having a diverse life with tons of different people from different identities, in my opinion, is one of the best things you can do for yourself for tons of reasons. So, I’m very passionate about bringing people together, personal or professional,” she said.

Her bread and butter is “homegrown, community-based shows.” In the past year, she’s hosted a Charli XCX dance party at Lansing Shuffle, karaoke nights and live music at Altu’s Ethiopian Cuisine, a Halloween drag show at the Fledge and an alternative rap showcase at the Robin Theatre, to name just a few events. On July 11, she’ll host a drag show and hyperpop dance party at the Allen Neighborhood Center. More information can be found on Night Alliance’s Facebook or Instagram pages.

“I was doing so many events, performing in so many, that I kept looking at them and thinking, ‘Here’s what I would do better.’ So, why not just do it?” she said. “I wanted to put on cool shows because I knew so many good artists here and I just had a lot of ideas, and I still do. I’m still building it up.”

She said both the local music and event scenes have some growing to do, but she’s happy to be part of the process.

“I don’t know for sure if I’ll be in Lansing forever, I don’t know where my life is going to take me, but I do want to develop the scene here as much as I can. One of my long-term goals is to establish a recurring artist showcase at a venue where you could go and check out cool artists in your area for five bucks. I think something that’s sustainable and ongoing would be really neat.

“There’s always room for more, and I think people recognize that,” she continued. “I think there needs to be more venues that are willing to gamble on local acts and help with marketing to get the wider public aware. And I think we need more options. It’s hard to be picky and choosy. Obviously, you can just not perform, but when you’re passionate, it’s something you’re really hungry for.”

When all is said and done, Plantana is thankful to be where she is.

“I kind of fell in love with the Lansing music scene. The house shows and stuff, those are always so much fun, and places like the Avenue and certain shows the Fledge puts on,” she said. “I mean, I find myself having to choose between things on a weekend. That makes me very happy. That’s a great problem to have.”