Durham, NC (January 23, 2024) Oftentimes called “R&B’s Best Kept Secret,” internationally renowned R&B singer/songwriter KEM is coming to DPAC on Friday, May 10, 2024. Special Guest NiiTO will open the show.  After five albums and some three million sales since the start of his career, KEM has established himself as a prominent voice articulating critical matters of the heart and soul.

Tickets are on sale Friday January 26, 2024 at 10:00 AM:

• Online at DPACnc.com
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Ticket Center at DPAC: 919.680.2787,
  123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC
• Ticketmaster.com

 

 

KEM says, “As an artist in an era of righteous protest, I feel that my music is part of that protest. My music is protesting against the spiritual bankruptcy of bigotry while making the case for open-hearted love. In this ongoing battle between the forces of darkness and light, I hold my position that breaks down to three simple words. Love. Always. Wins.”

 

This message can be found throughout KEM’s discography, which has received considerable accolades, including a Platinum-selling album (KEMISTRY; INTIMACY); THREE GRAMMY nominations, five #1 hit singles, as well as several sold-out national tours and international shows.

 

Born and raised in Michigan, KEM didn’t have the easiest time growing up. After graduating high school, he found himself homeless, addicted to alcohol and drugs. KEM was kicked out of his house and forced to live in shelters, and sometimes even on the street. After one particularly hard night of sleeping outside, KEM decided to turn his life around and start on his sobriety journey.

 

During this time, he continued to write music. He sold CDs out of his car until eventually, he was signed by Motown Records. After that, he rocketed to success, with award nominations and  top hits. His first hit, “Love Calls,” jetted to #1 on Urban Adult Contemporary charts in 2002. In 2005, his #1 single, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” was Billboard’s Top Adult R&B Single of the Year. His second album INTIMACY, debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart in 2010 and hit #1 on the iTunes Top R&B Albums Chart. The first single, “Why Would You Stay,” spent seven weeks at #1 on UAC Radio charts, and the subsequent second, third, and fourth singles climbed to the chart’s top five. KEM’s fourth studio album, PROMISE TO LOVE, debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and at #1 on the R&B Albums Chart. PROMISE TO LOVE produced two #1 hit singles in “It’s You” and “Nobody.”

 

In 2013, KEM teamed up with Patti LaBelle, Ronald Isley, Avery Sunshine, and Anthony Anderson to create “KEM & Friends: What Christmas Means Holiday Tour,” a holiday-themed music experience. Some other collaborations KEM worked on included “Downtown” featuring Snoop Dog, and “My Favorite Thing” featuring Ronald Isley. He also toured with Charlie Wilson on his 44-city ‘Forever Charlie Tour’ and headlined his own ‘PROMISE TO LOVE Tour.”

 

Alongside creating music, KEM also works in philanthropy. In 2012, KEM founded Mack & Third, Inc., a Michigan domestic non-profit organization whose mission is built on the premise that no basic human need should go unmet due to lack of funding. Mack & Third provides funding to humanitarian aid organizations related to: homelessness; hunger; substance abuse; domestic violence; natural disasters; education; etc.

 

 

 

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About DPAC

Since its opening in 2008, DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center) has become the center for live entertainment in North Carolina. Recognized for its contemporary design, DPAC features 2,700 seats, intimate sightlines, and state-of-the-art sound and video. Ranked annually among the top-ten theaters in America by three leading national magazines that cover live entertainment events and venues, DPAC was recently nominated for Theatre of the Decade by Pollstar Magazine.

With a mission of presenting one-of-a-kind live entertainment events, DPAC truly has “something for everyone,” hosting 500,000 guests per year to its 200+ performances. Each season, the stage at DPAC comes alive with spectacular touring Broadway productions, high-profile concert and comedy events, family shows and the heralded American Dance Festival. Owned by the City of Durham and operated under the direction of Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management (PFM), since 2011 DPAC has been listed as the #1 performing arts organization in the region by the Triangle Business Journal. 

For more information, please visit www.DPACnc.com