Young Black Professionals Didn't Feel Welcome in Dallas' Brunch Scene, So Trap Brunch Was Born

Trap brunch. Trap yoga. Trap & Paint. The list goes on when it comes to the trap-inspired events that have been popping up in Dallas.

But Bangers and Brunch, an annual series created by Good Culture that mixes trap music (a Southern sub-genre of hip-hop that first surfaced in the '90s) and art with artist-themed brunch items, didn’t start as a trend. It was a way for a group of black men to feel comfortable doing something most folks have the luxury of not thinking twice about: eat in peace.

“We would always go to brunch and sit together and get side-eyed,” says Kenny Reeves, the co-founder of Good Culture. “We would go down to a restaurant in Uptown — a group of young black professionals — and a lot of people would look at us like we don’t belong. So we wanted to create an atmosphere that was euphoric for the young black professional. Yes, we love brunch. Yes, we love trap music, but we can appreciate an art show at the same time.”

Once Bangers and Brunch was established, the Good Culture crew wanted to maintain the theme of comfort, making sure no one got the cold shoulder.

“We’re not asking you to put on any certain type of clothes. There’s no dress code,” Reeves says. “There’s no one standing in front with a long list of things saying you can’t come in if you’re of a certain demographic. It’s just let your hair down and be of the culture while being in the culture."

But in the beginning, some of the things the group was trying to escape came up during the planning process.

“When we first started, we traveled and we talked to so many different venue owners that wouldn’t allow us to do it,” Reeves said. “Saying things like, ‘There’s a designated time you can have at night, but you can’t have the daytime.’ Because they didn’t see the benefit of having our consumer there. We basically had to build our own brunch. Hire a caterer, hire a DJ, hire a bartender — from the ground up. This is the first year we’re having it at a functioning venue.”

This year’s brunch takes place at Wit’s End in Deep Ellum on Cinco de Mayo. And the featured artist is Migos, naturally. The group won’t be there in the flesh (actually, it'll be in town for JMBLYA, so you never know), but breakfast quesadillas and migas — among other things — will be served. And it’s already sold out.

Reeves believes there’s something to take away from what he and his crew experienced to get the event where it is today.

“We’ve all experienced a moment where we weren’t accepted," he says. "Embrace the fact that everybody doesn’t accept you and grow in that. Then create your own platform to do what you want.”

Bangers & Brunch, Wit’s End, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5