Ones to Watch: Joey Valence & Brae

Genre: Hip Hop, Rap
For Fans Of: Beastie Boys, Run The Jewels, Young Black Teenagers.
Release: CLUB SANDWICH (Single)
Signed: JVB Records
Hometown: Pennsylvania, US

Meeting during their freshmen year at Penn State University, Joey Valence teamed up with Braeden Lugue, better known as Brae, to single-handedly bring back the traditional hip hop sounds of the 1980s and ’90s that catapulted Beastie Boys into the limelight.

After graduating, the duo convinced their parents to let them pursue music more seriously. Given six months to prove themselves, Joey Valence & Brae did exactly that. The pair had released tracks to TikTok to help promote them and, shortly before they planned to release “Double Jump”, the snippet became a viral sensation. Clocking in at over 18million views, the notoriety of their clever lyricism and high-energy antics saw them transported to Los Angeles for a single showcase on Ellen.

What began as two college kids making beats in their bedroom studio, Joey Valance & Brae have now become a phenomenon, with their single “Punk Tactics” clocking in 30million+ Spotify streams as an example. In 2023, Joey Valance & Brae have already confirmed the release of their debut album as well as US headline tour and festival appearances, including Shaky Knees, Sonic Temple, and BottleRock.