Although it occasionally hosts performances, the Edge — the sky-scraping outdoor observation deck and club 100 stories and 1,130 feet above New York City — is not really known as a concert venue.
But as part of Samsung’s multi-faceted partnership with red-hot rapper Doechii — who was named “Hip-Hop Disruptor of the Year” at Variety‘s 2024 Hitmakers celebration — around its new Galaxy S25 Edge phone, the Edge was the setting for not only a short but powerful livestreamed performance on Friday night, the entire place was tricked out as a “swamp in the sky,” filled mock-tropical scenery (playing off of her frequent alligator theme), complete with jungle plants and lots of dry ice.
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy)
Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy
In a double-take moment, we saw ads for Doechii’s Samsung partnership on the subway ride to Hudson Yards, the mini-megalopolis where the Edge is located — and even more surreally, as we arrived at the Edge, after a fast elevator ride where your ears pop a least twice, there was fog outside the venue, as if the dry ice were somehow leaking out of the windows.
Of course, that was actually a cloudy front moving in, which made for some San Francisco-like views as fog shrouded the city’s skyline and only the tops of the tallest buildings poked through the clouds.
That was the scene inside as several hundred specially invited fabulosos attired in “casual chic” mingled and sipped on the free drinks and snacks served by the wait staff. Shortly before 8 p.m., the doors to the observation deck were opened and the attendees streamed down the illuminated stairs leading to the deck. Music thumped through the powerful speakers as specks of rain fell from the sky, but luckily the serious rain held off until much later in the evening.
DJ Miss Milan (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy)
Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy
Finally, after Edge staffers had dried off the double-height steps leading down to the stage set at the edge of the observation deck, the old-school beat of “Peanuts” kicked in and Doechii appeared at the top of the stairway, clad in a billowing beige jacket, matching high socks and spike heels. She and DJ Miss Milan spat verses back and forth as the rapper worked her way down the towering stairs, with each step about two feet below the next — not an easy thing to do while rapping in spike heels, but she pulled it off without a hitch. (Watch a song from the performance near the end of this video.)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30: A view of the atmosphere during Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch at Edge at Hudson Yards on May 30, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy)
Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy
Doechii gradually made her way through the crowd to the stage, swaggering through “Denial Is a River,” “Nissan Altima” and one or two others before making her exit. Some were surprised that she didn’t play “Anxiety,” her biggest hit, but the set focused on high-energy songs and that one’s slow tempo would have brought down the energy. (Plus, although artists rarely play full concert sets at events of this nature, one couldn’t blame her for wanting to finish before the rain moved in.)
And with that, the crowd walked back through the faux-everglades and lined up to catch the elevators back down to the ground floors and reality… or whatever passes for reality in the city-sized megamall of Hudson Yards.
variety.com
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