Nightbeats: Bay Area rapper Nef the Pharoah comes to Santa Rosa

SLIDING THROUGH THE 707 - If you caught Nef The Pharaoh sliding through dope Bay Area concerts like G-Eazy’s hometown show in Oakland this month or the Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival with 24hrs and Ty Dolla $ign a few weeks ago, you’ve probably found yourself asking: “When is Nef going to play another headline show in the 707?”

Hailing from Vallejo and best known as Nef The Pharaoh, Tonee Hayes is one of the best up-and-coming artists to bloom from the Bay Area rap scene. The rapper’s newest mixtape, “The Chang Project,” dropped just last year and shows the multifaceted ways the songwriter has grown since early releases like “#RichBy25.”

Nef picked up E-40 as a mentor and signed with the music legend’s own record label Sick Wid It Records, not to mention Nef The Pharaoh’s songs have hundreds of thousands of plays on SoundCloud - not bad for someone who’s not yet 25.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out “The Chang Project” yet, know this: it’s a blend of hip-hop bangers and self-reflective anthems that make you tear up at times.

Songs like “Move4” speak of Nef’s inspirations, dreams and his young beloved son, for whom he pushes on. Modern love songs like “Back Out,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, contrast with tracks like “Bling Blaow,” which pays homage to Nef’s Vallejo roots and has a music video that features cameos from Vallejo natives like OMB Peezy, Slimmy B of SOB X RBE and, of course, his mentor E-40.

If you missed Nef at The Phoenix Theater last year, you can catch his return to the 707 at Remy’s in Santa Rosa with a list of songs that will make you stoked to share an area code with Vallejo.

Details: 10 p.m. Saturday; Remy’s Bar & Grill, 130 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa. 15-$20, http://bit.ly/2IGfZyC

DREAMING OF SELENA - Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was the queen of Tejano music in the early ’90s and quickly ascended the Latino market with relatable and honest love songs.

Among her biggest hits were numbers like “El Chico Del Apartamento 512,” meaning “The Boy from Apartment 512,” a tune about a boy who she yearned for but who wouldn’t give her the time of day and “Como La Flor,” a sad song which compares love to a wilting flower and speaks of learning to let go of a lover.

Eventually, Selena became well known in not only her home state of Texas but all over the U.S. With loyal fans, killer dance moves and powerful pipes, she transformed into an international star with her English and Spanish crossover album, “Dreaming Of You,” and helped pave the way for Latino women to break into the American market.

Though she only got to record four songs in English before she died, the album wrote her a place in history and her timeless music still lives on - so much so that Santa Rosa’s Casa Del Mar is hosting a night in her honor. Celebrate the sensational artist and hear your favorite Selena tunes with a night out dancing in Santa Rosa.

The event is for ages 21 and over, IDs required. Wear your best dance clothes because Casa Del Mar has a strict dress code. The event page recommends gentlemen wear collared shirts and no one wearing hats, sports clothes and red or blue shoelaces will be allowed in.

Details: 10 p.m. ?March 30, Casa Del Mar, 3660 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa. $15- $20, selenanight.com

NOT ONE, BUT TWO HOMETOWN SHOWS - Celebrating the release of a new single, “Plastic Smiles,” Petaluma’s own The Honey Toads play a free hometown show at The Big Easy April 5, followed by a headline concert at The Phoenix Theater April 13.

The band consists of four St. Vincent De Paul High School graduates who gained national attention after releasing a creative self-produced video for the band’s 2017 single “Send Me Out,” which spotlights Dillon Beach and Lala’s Creamery in Petaluma.

“We had this idea to go for something striking and odd that still showcases our favorite spots around Sonoma County,” said guitarist Joe DeMars in a recent interview.

Clever lyrics and unique instruments like the electric ukulele offer refreshing new music that embodies elements reminiscent of bands like New Order and Talking Heads.

Though The Honey Toads have yet to release a full EP, the band is worth noting and seeing live.

Details: 7 p.m. April 5, The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma, free. bigeasypetaluma.com

Details: 8 p.m. April 13, The Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. $8, thephoenixtheater.com

Help us keep the beat. Write Estefany at nightbeats@pressdemocrat.com