Last Rap Show You Attended

staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts
edited October 2011 in Strut Central
Live performances in our beloved genre are problematic.
Sometimes they knock it out the park, usually they suck.
I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread were we can rate, rant, review, mention, and namedrop about shows we attended.

And post pics - since everyone seems to spend more time peeping through their mobile devices than actually looking at the stage at shows nowadays.

Plus - since a great live rap show is such a rare thing, id like to hear about it here first so I can catch it if I get the chance.

Let me kick it off :




I had the good fortune to catch one of my current fav rappers Action Bronson in the flesh - pause - at the high line ballroom xxl mag new rap showcase last week.

First off, doors were supposed to open at 11 but they didnt till like 12. As a result there was a long massive line of unruly teens and tweens that my gruff ole ass had to bear standing in together with my boo.

After a good hour of listening to wannabe thugs repping their highschools and what twentysomething girls are prepared to do to get backstage at an event like this (all i can say is i feel sorry for rappers and their entourage if this was anything to go by) the doors finally opened. Mood inside was mellow and there seemed to be some older heads around and not just teens baying to see MGK in his underwear.

Action didnt keep the crowd waiting long and came on with the legendary Dante Ross, as well as AG Da Coroner, Meyhem Lauren and some other smart crew/outdoorsmen representatives in attendance - more than just nondescript hangers on rocking mcmurdo parkas but some decent mc's in their own right.

He did have a dj on deck using serato for the instros - there was no focus on the dj or back and forth between mc or dj which I didnt really mind as it was only a showcase and not a full length gig like that.

What I really liked about Action on wax ( and yes dr lecter is apparently dropping on wax soon) came through in his performance.

A good sense of self deprecating humor (cracking jokes about his weight, getting the crowd to yell gtfoh bronson), as well as having a good fun rapport with the crowd -telling kids not to eat steak unless its on the bone, giving himself props for "having the hands of a cuban woman", then passing a joint into the crowd all added up to an enjoyable, confident and charismatic stage presence.

He played for little over half an hour, opening with 'the come up', as well as running through shiraz, barry horowitz, larry csonka, muslim wedding, some slower track I didnt recognize, and I seem to remember them doing that tune ray lewis as well. I cant remember the whole set list but it was enjoyable enough - clear delivery and good timing had me remembering lines and rappin along to his punch lines etc which is always a good thing.

He left with some more comedy shouting out chubby chasers etc. with genuine appreciation from the crowd.

I stayed on for kid ink after that who decided to strip off and rap in his underwear which was a massive pause from beginning to end for me and was not feeling his flow, hoarse screaming or unclear delivery at all - no banter with the crowd or moments of connection there either. I put up with about 10 minutes of Chris Webbys wack accent and corny lines after that before bouncing, since I only really went to see Action and couldnt be bothered to put up with the rest of the bill - not into any of the french montana or Machine gun kelly ive heard so whatevs.

Still I had fun and would definitely recommend catching mr. Bronsonelli live if you get the chance.

Ill post some pics later on.

  Comments


  • I stopped going to rapp shows because the sound is almost always really poor. I would have liked to see Bronsolini tho.
    Been listening to the Lecter album quite a bit lately.

  • Bon VivantBon Vivant The Eye of the Storm 2,018 Posts
    TheKindCromang said:
    I stopped going to rapp shows because the sound is almost always really poor. .



    It's almost like a competition to see who can sound worse.

  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,477 Posts
    i dont go to many shows here in Halifax, but the last show i saw was Digable Planets which was pretty dope, they had a live band which was incredibly on point for most of the show, Butterfly did very little and didnt really seem that interested in taking part in the show, they had some dudes (horn section) from the previous opening set jump at the last moment to do what turned into a 15 minutes version of cool like dat, this was part of the Jazzfest this summer, the turnout was pretty good, the venue was outside on the waterfront....i have some pics, but they arent worth posting as the "anti video/anti picture" police were in effect hardcore..dicks!

    i did just miss seeing the Hip Club Groove reunion last Saturday it was their first show in like 10 or more years, we got to the door and security wouldnt let my buddy in because his ID expired a month ago...we drove home pretty pissed and bitter..i saw them last in 95 i believe, i was pretty gutted that i missed the show, my buddy was going to hop on a bus and go home just so i could get in...but we just left..

  • Last night, producer Katalyst with an array of somewhat messy freestylers. Regardless teh vibe was great for a thursday night, I know how the strut feels about 'aussie' raps and for the most part I'm in agreement. I'm not one for recording shows on my phone so the quality sucks but I thought of the thread and I for one would love to see some local experience videos uploaded.


  • when i saw the thread, i figured i'd mention going to see Ac bron but you guys got that covered. i was drunk off my ass, upstairs at the troc, and it was a packed house in a dope spot with a lot of friends and my fat buddy who looks like action got up on stage and started belly dancing. got a chance to chat with the dude who makes a lot of the beats as well as recommending to action which washy washy houses to avoid in chinatown. and of course copped the cd which is ridiculous

  • here tis...fatman dancing at 1:39


  • I caught Ugly Ducking in Brighton the other week. What can I say, these dudes always deliver when it comes to playing to a crowd. There was the usual problems with the sound (couldn't really hear Dizzy's mic properly at first), but they overcame it and performed a dope energetic set. What really got me was seeing how the crowd jumped just like it was 92 and someone had just dropped 'Jump Around' in a set. Einstein fuckin killed it as well!

    After the show we got to chill with Diz and I told Einstein some shit about how seeing them live and particularly how they keep the DJ as the central focus of the show totally restored my faith in hip hop. He was like 'uh? cool! Don't get me wrong, I still love a lot of non throwback type of shit, but seeing UD was like a masterclass on how to rock a show.

  • waxjunkywaxjunky 1,849 Posts
    I think the last rapp show I went to was KRS-1 in Los Angeles in the late 90s. Mykill Myers knocked out a heckler after he opened. And that was the highlight.

  • staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts


    left to right: Action Briggedy, AG Da Coroner, Dante Ross in the background, Meyhem Lauren.

  • I attend rap shows every night

    Last night. PUTS+Mac Miller in Corvalis Oregon Fairgrounds. 4000 people, sold out

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    Ha! Does 2 Live Crew count?


  • Mac Miller this summer. Would have been cool to see PUTS + Mac!

  • @Cee, think were about to start doing SF knights together with his version.

    My dude puts on a serious show. It's a trip to see 4000 teens jamming out to the 900 number. So far every single date on the tour has sold out in like 10 minutes - shit is madness!

  • 4YearGraduate said:
    @Cee, think were about to start doing SF knights together with his version.

    My dude puts on a serious show. It's a trip to see 4000 teens jamming out to the 900 number. So far every single date on the tour has sold out in like 10 minutes - shit is madness!

    Yeah I was going to ask if the Knights beat got two laps or what; I'm sure the crowd would love it!

  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,477 Posts
    elise said:
    Ha! Does 2 Live Crew count?


    was this just Fresh Kid Ice, or was Brother Marquis or Mr. Mixx there?

  • Martin said:
    caught Snoop last tuesday. not sure how you can have at least 20 classic CLASSIC songs and perform ONE of them. set list was mind boggling. crowd seemed less than enthusiastic.

    luckily i didn't have to pay to see these.

    what was the ONE classic Snoop did?

  • Martin said:
    Gin and Juice

    To be fair, he just released Doggumentary this year, and there's about 20 tracks, so I'm sure the tour is meant to promote it.

  • Martin said:
    I'd rather listen to Kreayshawn over Mac Miller or Machine Gun Kelly.

    this sentence hurts, even as a hypothetical

  • staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts
    4YearGraduate said:
    @Cee, think were about to start doing SF knights together with his version.

    My dude puts on a serious show. It's a trip to see 4000 teens jamming out to the 900 number. So far every single date on the tour has sold out in like 10 minutes - shit is madness!

    Post some pics!


    btw It doesnt surprise me snoop would suck now - seen his reality show 'Father Hood'?
    Yikes.
    although I have seen some good snoop performances

  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    Last rap show I attended was Odd Future's London debut just about a year ago. It wasn't the greatest show I've ever been to, but it was the most fun I'd had at one for a while. I must have been the oldest person in there by some distance, though.

    I've been to at least as many bad rap shows as good ones. Probably more. It has to be someone I really want to see, or the promise of something very special, to get me to go to a rap show nowadays.

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Past few that come to mind are Raekwon, Method Man, Bun B and Reema Major.
    Method Man was garbage. We got more and more lit and heckled, which was a lot of fun.
    The rest were all solid.
    I'd go to a hell of a lot more shows if the folks I really want to see would venture north of the border....or could actually cross the border :(

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I kinda put them all in the same my-ears-are-very-angry category.

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    dj_cityboy said:
    elise said:
    Ha! Does 2 Live Crew count?


    was this just Fresh Kid Ice, or was Brother Marquis or Mr. Mixx there?

    Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis were there, but no Mr. Mixx.

    Oh, and lots of silly string. What?

  • Martin said:
    novocaine132 said:
    Martin said:
    I'd rather listen to Kreayshawn over Mac Miller or Machine Gun Kelly.

    this sentence hurts, even as a hypothetical

    have you ever heard those dudes rap?

    that's my point. it goes beyond mere catch 22.
    how can you choose between painfully awful and total disaster?

  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,477 Posts
    elise said:
    dj_cityboy said:
    elise said:
    Ha! Does 2 Live Crew count?


    was this just Fresh Kid Ice, or was Brother Marquis or Mr. Mixx there?

    Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis were there, but no Mr. Mixx.

    Oh, and lots of silly string. What?

    silly string, wtf...i read an article that they were getting back together and going on tour (Luke, Kid Ice, Marquis and Mixx) which is why i asked
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