Noah-O, Big No, & King Delt Turn Pressure Into Pride On “Richmond Times”
Survival is one thing, endurance is another. That feeling of persistence, that sense of continuing to move forward despite the weight pressing down from every direction, it pulses through Richmond’s music scene year after year, nowhere more prominently than within its hip-hop community and nowhere more vibrantly than through artists like Noah-O and Big No. That ability to turn pressure into personality and negligence into motivation is exactly the Richmond spirit the two have always embodied, something they showcase once again on “Richmond Times,” the new single featuring King Delt alongside an accompanying video.
Over production from Retro Izzy, the trio glide across a grimy piano loop and clacking percussion, allowing their charisma and chemistry to become the brightest colors in an otherwise stark black-and-white affair. “Dancing, dashing\ All through the streets like Special K\ I don’t sell drugs, just give ’em something to help them elevate,” Big No raps early on, framing music itself as both escape and empowerment. Noah-O matches that confidence with lines like “Filipino Doughboy, I’m the breadwinner\ Look, I don’t get tired, on point, dead center,” while the song’s hook boldly crowns the trio as “the hardest first class trip to the Richmond trip.” Across the track, the three artists trade verses with the comfort and sharpness of veterans who understand not only their individual strengths, but the collective identity they represent together.
The accompanying video, shot by CamCultureMedia, relocates the song’s sense of Richmond mythology to the long-abandoned Richmond Coliseum downtown. Empty for more than six years, the once-iconic venue becomes a ghostly monument to the city’s past, transformed into a living landmark by the trio’s presence and energy. There’s a certain poetic symmetry in watching Noah-O, Big No, King Delt, and their crew breathe life back into the structure, making the building’s exterior feel more alive than it has since major tours once rolled through the city.
Rather than treating Richmond as simply a backdrop, “Richmond Times” presents the city itself as a living character, worn down in places but still full of pride, resilience, and untapped electricity. The result is a song and video that feel both celebratory and defiant, a reminder that Richmond hip-hop continues to thrive not because of outside validation, but because artists like Noah-O, Big No, and King Delt keep refusing to let the city’s spirit fade.
“Richmond Times” is the first single from Richmond Brave 2, the second collaborative album from Big No and Noah-O, following their acclaimed 2023 release, which earned a nomination for the 2024 Newlin Music Prize. The track first surfaced last October through a live performance on HundoMadeIt’s Booth The Street series, filmed fittingly outside the offices of the newspaper that inspired its title, immediately signaling that the duo had returned with a larger vision and sharper sense of purpose.
That ambition carries throughout Richmond Brave 2, a record that expands upon everything the first installment introduced. Bigger hooks, broader production, and an expanded cast of collaborators (Nickelus F, T.R.I.G., Michael Millions, etc.) all contribute to a project that feels less like a sequel and more like a full realization of the foundation Big No and Noah-O originally laid. Alongside standout moments like “Light Of Mine,” “Bigger Than Bars,” and “All You Need,” “Richmond Times” elevate the album into not just one of the strongest releases in either artist’s catalog, but also one of the defining Richmond hip-hop records of the decade.
Watch the video for “Richmond Times” below and make sure to follow Big No, Noah-O, and King Delt for more. Also, don’t miss the third annual Charged Up Fest, organized by Noah-O and taking over Richmond from May 26 through May 31. Additional information and event details can be found here.
