Published August 29, 2026 at 4:00 AM CDT

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KC Soundcheck is KCUR's spotlight for Kansas City musicians on the rise, as heard on Up To Date. Who should we interview next? Send us a text at 816-601-4777.

If you wrote a letter to Kansas City, what would it say?

Maybe it’d celebrate the Chiefs, or hype up its cultural institutions. Maybe it’d reflect on how the city has changed, or critique its progress on fixing poverty and redlining.

Jeff Shafer, who performs as Flare Tha Rebel, says all that and more on his recent album “Dear City.” It’s a tribute to Kansas City, where he was raised and has lived since 2015 after a decade in Chicago – even if his lyrics sometimes come off as tough love.

“When you have love for something, you also have to be honest with it,” Shafer told KCUR’s Up To Date.

Tracks like “Play This Song at Your Tailgate” exude local pride, celebrating the city’s unique institutions and beloved sports traditions. But Shafer also leans more socially-conscious, reflecting on more serious issues facing Kansas City.

“Powder Blue” critiques police brutality, telling a story of a Black man who is killed by an officer after being pulled over.

“I think that's the story that we hear all too much and all too often, and especially for the Black community,” Shafer said. “That's just really depressing. So I said, ‘Well, what if I flip the script and what if I did an alternate universe where you see the tragedy, but then you also get to see right after. What if that didn't happen? What if there wasn't fear? What if he didn't get stopped? And what if he got to stay alive?’”

• Jeff Shafer, Flare Tha Rebel