Kent State students and Cleveland artists will come together for a hip-hop and rhythm and blues performance at 9 p.m. tonight in the Rathskeller.

“An Evening with Chris Davis and Stephanie Allen and Friends” will feature original music from Kent State student Stephanie Miller.

Miller, a junior business management major, is a seasoned songwriter who wants to transition into live performer.

“I’ve been writing for years,” Miller said. “It pretty much comes natural to me.”

She has written countless hip-hop and rhythm and blues songs. Now she is beginning to record and produce her music.

“I also perform other genres,” Miller said. “I call it hip-hop/rock.”

She has released one three-song demo. She is finishing another that she plans to release in late November in accordance with her birthday.

Chris Davis, a Cleveland artist who is also headlining the show, performed with Miller during a Rathskeller show earlier this month.

“Stephanie, at that point, debuted two of her songs,” said Della Marshall, associate director for the Center for Student Involvement.

Davis is using his talent to help up-and-coming artists like Miller.

“I’m a natural entertainer,” Davis said. “I’ve been doing it for a lot of years.”

Davis has opened many headlining rhythm and blues acts over the years.

“He can sing pretty much most genres of music,” Marshall said. “He’ll go from the blues to jazz and then back to something R&B.”

The performance will also feature two Kent State alumni: Eljaroo Laboo and Christin Farmer.

“It will be a nice, mellow show,” Davis said. “If you came to the first show, (tonight) really needs no introduction.”

The performance is sponsored by the Center for Student Involvement.

Contact on-campus entertainment reporter Tyler Norris at [email protected].