Firefly's hip-hop hits and misses, from Eminem to Warren G.
Last week's Firefly Music Festival was nothing short of amazing. It was the second year I attended as a journalist, but this year was special considering it was probably the most hip-hop-heavy lineup in Firefly’s seven-year history.
For four days I witnessed performances on every scale. From watching a local star in the making like Dover’s Amillion the Poet totally control and entertain a crowd that, in large part, didn't know who he was, to watching three of hip-hop’s greatest rappers: Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar.
No matter who they came to see, last weekend’s fans couldn't get enough of the action-packed lineup. Hip-hop is now considered the world's most popular music genre, according to Nielsen, so it’s no surprise that Firefly organizers Red Frog Events decided to beef up the hip-hop in this year's lineup.
But not all of the performances impressed. Whether it was terrible stage presence or low energy, not everybody performs up to expectations.
Here are last weekend’s hits and misses.
HITS
Eminem
Going into this year's festival I wasn't sure what to expect from Eminem since I've never seen him perform before. Growing up, I was a fan of his music -- just like many ‘80s babies in my age bracket. But for the past six years, his music hasn't really resonated with me, and his new album was my least favorite so I wasn't sure what to expect from his performance. Fortunately, Eminem's performance was everything I hoped it would be and more. Rolling through all of his most notable hits, Eminem kept the crowd entertained with his energetic stage presence, orchestral-style accompaniment, eye-catching stage design and don't forget about that controversial pyrotechnic concussion sound (aka “the gunshot”). Slim Shady showed us why even after 20 years his music can still draw tens of thousands of people to rural Delaware.
Logic
Another highly-anticipated performance was Rockville, Maryland, native and superstar rapper Logic. His recent rise to stardom has been helped by his infectious, relatable personality and his boldness to speak on social issues like racism and suicide. Logic has gained a fan base with his brutal honesty and transparency, and it was on display in The Woodlands. Logic captivated the crowd while going through some of his most iconic songs, all the way from his mixtape days to now. His most personal moment came when he performed the song “1-800-273-8255,” which has touched so many dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts.
Tierra Whack
It was only about a month ago that I heard about Philadelphia artist Tierra Whack, when Meek Mill re-posted her video on his Instagram account. Immediately I could see that she was like no other rapper that I had heard or seen before. Her debut album, “Whack World,” is a collection of 15 1-minute songs that leave the listener wondering what just happened. Oh, and did I mention she also released a video for every song, viewable on her Instagram account? So I was intrigued at what her live performance would entail. Out the gate, Tierra showed off her lyrical abilities with one of the most flawless and fast-paced rapping that I had seen from any female artist in our area. Her creativity and willingness to use her voice like an instrument make Tierra Whack an artist you should watch in 2018. Her performance at Firefly further solidified her as a force to be reckoned with.
MISSES
Warren G
As much as I love West Coast hip-hop and Warren G, his performance lacked in many areas. It's easy to chalk it up to age but I expected more from the hip-hop veteran. Taking to the Firefly Stage, Warren ran through a list of hits that included his hit song “Regulate,” which featured the late great Nate Dogg. As much as I respect and admire our legends in hip-hop, I wouldn't have lost any sleep if I didn't see this performance.
Westside Gunn & Conway
This was one of my most disappointing concerts since Westside Gunn and Conway are two of my favorite underground artist right now. The Buffalo, New York, rap duo is known for its grimy street raps that give listeners an open look into their past lives of crime. Rapper Conway overcame being shot in the back of the head and losing feeling in half of his face to still making heads rock all over the world. Unfortunately, they lacked energy and showed up to their set almost 30 minutes late, with Lil Wayne scheduled to perform at the same time their set ended. Despite the lackluster showing, the best part of the performance came when they brought out Harlem rapper Smoke Dza who seemed to bring all the energy with him. Either way I'm not going to let this performance stop me from listening to the music, but hopefully, next time will be a little different.
Yung Gravy
Last and definitely least is Minnesota-bred SoundCloud rapper Yung Gravy. The 22-year-old is a blonde white guy who stands at about 6’4” and swears he’s ready to take your girl at any moment. The whole performance was pretty boring as he stood in the same spot rapping nursery-rhyme style lyrics and talked about how rich he was. Yung Gravy’s entire persona reeks of an industry gimmick. This Firefly performance was pretty much one to forget and shows us why not every SoundCloud rapper is good for the music industry.
Check out pictures and video from Firefly on Instagram and Twitter @King_Dom302
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