Lava House: More Than Just a Party

By: Jordan Neal

Originally published May 19, 2018, by Plasma Magazine 

Lava House is more than a collective that throws parties. They are a brand;  a powerhouse of like-minded creatives who managed to find a niche that works. The formation of Lava House was an almost-random occurrence that continues to produce fruit, and that fruit is content, programming, and culture that the collective pushes from the grounds of The Dojo (the name of the venue).

Lava House started as a passion project for the collective's resident DJ, King Nappa. King Nappa, originally from Columbia, South Carolina, moved to Atlanta with a laser-like focus on creating something for himself. After meeting his partners at Georgia State, Rory Champane, and Evan Bradley, the group hit the ground running with the idea of a collective. The fourth member, Rico Johnson, joined later to fill out their ranks and provide support.

When asked about the formation of Lava House, co-founder Evan B. stated, "King Nappa knew the crowd in this underground scene, and he really wanted to make something for himself,"  regarding King Nappa's vision. The four members of Lava House took their vision and made something of value that they thought the city was missing. They combined aspects of various underground cultures, art, and music to form a fully immersive experience for the attendees. The gentlemen of Lava House excel at what they do by offering attendees options. The Dojo hosts parties featuring DJs spinning everything from Trap to psychedelic rock. Lava House has also worked with Danger Inc., Stash Room Vibe(r)ations, which featured curated art and poetry, as well as, local filmmakers Casey Doran and Ryan Lambert. They cater to all no matter what race, creed, or walk of life a person identifies with by connecting people through music and good vibes.

Pictures were taken and edited by Omar Wali

Highlighting the things that connect us and coming out of your shell is a critical component of what they do. Evan B. stated, "When you go into the Dojo, the energy itself makes you comfortable," emphasizing the built-in coziness within the walls of The Dojo. The Lava House crew uses the feeling of comfort as a marketing hook. In general, people love comfortable situations, and if you can offer that in a social setting, you might strike gold.

They have produced unique experiences and shocked their audiences with the amount of consistent content and programming they deliver. Radio Lava, the collective's podcast, is a beautiful mix of King Nappa's incredible DJ skills and hilarious commentary from co-host and cohort Raj Ronin, about life, art, and music. They took the best parts of modern radio and injected it with a healthy shot of realism making the typically cold and scripted format feel warm and inviting. The vibe of Radio Lava comes across smooth, like an interlude pulled from the most chill Hip-Hop albums, dug out from within your older brother's basement.

The collective intends to continue to produce great programming. If the group's previous events are any indicator of the future, you can bet that they have some great things in store. You can catch their next event, A Mad Disrespectful Pop Up, on Wednesday, May 23 at The Dojo. For more updates follow Lava House on Instagram, Twitter and check out the podcast Radio Lava.