This year’s Hopscotch was a cloudy little one. I did my fair share of bouncing around between sets and venues this year: exploring, if you will, especially because I was less familiar with this year’s lineup. One name I was very excited about, though, was Duckwrth. Amid the threat of warm weekend rain, this set brought some joy and lightning to Fayetteville Street.
Duckwrth (real name Jared Lee) has a sound that blends hip-hop, punk, alternative R&B, soul, and funk. My favorite project of his is the 2020 album “SuperGood,” which the suuuuper smooth “Super Bounce,” featuring EARTHGANG, is on. Yes, it was played live. Yes, I had a delicious time. In the past, he has collaborated with a number of other all-stars such as LaKeith Stanfield, Syd, Tanerélle, Amber Mark, and Machinedrum (“ILIKEU” is a personal favorite).
His most recent album, the 2025 release “All American F⭐️ckboy,” seemed to be the heart of the visual inspiration for his Hopscotch set. Behind all the talent on stage was a massive American flag with “DUCKWRTH” scrawled over it. Lee fit the bill too, outfitted in a head-to-toe denim number and listless charm.
Sharing in the electricity was guitarist Ray Barnette — who was absolutely shredding and having the time of his life doing it — and drummer Darryl Staves Jr., who brought a mellow cool to even it all out. We were graced with tracks like “Sweet Fuego,” “Crush,” and the aforementioned “Super Bounce.”
We danced, we jumped about, and we laughed when Lee sweetly forgot the lyrics to one of his own songs. As one does. It was an incredibly fun energy and a great time.
