K The Chosen’s Ship-Hop Showcase fuses R&B and rap
By Hannah Caparino, November 5 2025—
Calgary has become a hub for music and live music, and there’s no shortage of genres that everyone can enjoy. Hip-hop artist, K The Chosen, sat down with the Gauntlet to explore the future of live music through community focused events like the Ship-Hop showcase which will take place at Ship and Anchor this coming November.
While K is just hosting the event, he is also a veteran musician and performer.
Ship-Hop is an event that will include a number of local performers and artists who each specialize in the hip-hop and R&B genre. While there are feature performances, audience engagement is also an influential part of the event so then they can immerse themselves in the environment and community.
“I wanted an event that would get every person in the room involved. So having an open mic so that people who are kind of newer to hip-hop can get a space to practice, get a space to try new things.” said K.
The rapper had explained how students at the University of Calgary can benefit from live events like Ship-Hop so they can learn more about local artists, their sound and how to support the arts.
As a previous U of C student, K knows how live events can feel exclusive and daunting to enter. Potential artists that may be looking for an outlet or event to showcase their own music can also participate in the event through the open mics. The artist also explores how venues like the Ship and Anchor create an accessible community for U of C students and beyond.
“The Ship and Anchor is a really great venue. They’re very inclusive, they make sure that the event is free so it’s not just for students, but so anyone who wants to come and experience the show can come through.” said K.
K The Chosen also explains how the lineup had a variety of performers from Calgary and beyond.The list of performers include Tanajah who is flying in from New York, Nick Wise, Kinde and Hip Hip Thursday. Each performer dabbles in rap, R&B, pop, jazz and other genres.
There are also a number of artists who are well-established in the Calgary music scene, who have made appearances at festivals like Sled Island and Eastern Slopes.
“So for me, I like to have a diversity of artists. Obviously a majority are hip-hop focused, but I like to have artists that you probably would never see together in a lineup before.” said K.
The growth of community and contributing to live music in Calgary is one of the rapper’s main goals and through a showcase like Ship-Hop, students at U of C can have a glimpse into how deep the industry runs. The Ship and Anchor has been one of the most accessible stages for new musicians to build their platform, and the pub has a rich history within Calgary by being an established gathering place for Calgarians. K also emphasized how growing the music industry also supports local businesses that rely on these events to bring in customers and build their community.
“Our first mandate is to just highlight local Calgary artists. I find there’s so many artists that are really talented in this city but not a lot of people know about them. What makes the Ship and Anchor a great venue as well [is] it’s a very beloved pub that a lot of people go to, regardless if they like music.” said K.
Ship-Hop will take place on Nov. 5 at the Ship and Anchor. The event has free admission and for further venue information on capacity and accessibility can be found on their website. Information about the line up can be found on the Ship-Hop page.