SXSW: The Best, the Worst & the WTF?!

Ah, SXSW. The music portion of the annual Austin, Texas-based event left me sore and exhausted. But happy and satisfied. I had the opportunity to see many hip-hop artists that I never thought I would see. I told Katie Got Bandz that “Pop Out” changed my life, and recited “Money Trees” with 200 other Kendrick Lamar fans at one of Kendrick’s many SXSW performances.

So, without further ado, here were some of the best, worst and WTF SXSW performances!

Best:

Master P: To call P a nostalgia act undermines the rapper’s relevance. He still makes bangers and knows how to move a crowd, and his performance at Club 119 was proof of that. Dressed in black and ski masks P, Fat Trel, Alley Boy and a collective of No Limit soldiers, took over the stage. Menacing? Yes. Fun? Absolutely. It was an intimate show with a congregation of people centered around the stage. Aesthetically, it felt like a hardcore punk show: people disobeying club rules, fans and performers stomping and screaming lyrics wildly. It was a testament to P’s still-standing importance. And yes, he did perform “Make ‘Em Say Uhh!”

Earl Sweatshirt: When Earl took the outside stage at the Scoot Inn on a late Wednesday, the crowd could not contain themselves. As a fan it’s nice to see that Earl–at least as a performer–has adjusted well. Remember those first few videos of Earl performing upon his return from Samoa? Well, that Earl is gone. This Earl is confident, ready to spit a barrage of rhymes that contain some pretty reflective dialogue. Just listen to “Burgundy” and you’ll understand. Fans welcomed the new music warmly and went absolutely crazy whenever he dropped his older material. This might be long overdue but welcome back, Earl.

The Underachievers: New York rap is reemerging. A$AP Mob, Flatbush Zombies, Pro Era and The Underachievers are all a part of a New York renaissance. Each collective was present during SXSW but the Underachievers left the best impression in my opinion. They can switch from spacious, cloud/trap beats, to soulful jazz production, with the utmost ease. They’re rapid wordplay is reminiscent of Camp Lo, but with a more contemporary (and acid-laced) flavor. (Side note: These guys do partake in psychedelics every once in awhile.)

A$AP Ferg: The self-proclaimed “Fergenstein” put on some great shows. I caught him three times (he happened to be on multiple bills with other artists I wanted to see) and each time was enjoyable. Like Master P Ferg’s set felt punk. His hype men started moshpits, stage-dived and knocked over speakers at Austin venue The North Door. And Ferg, the next in line from the A$AP Collective, built off our collective energy, ending his set with lively “Work.” Who got that work? Obviously Ferg does.

Kendrick Lamar: Duh. Have you ever yelled “Kendrick have a dream” with 200-plus people in unison, at the top of your lungs? It may very well produce one of the greatest feelings you ever experience. Riding high on a wave of praise and accomplishment, Kendrick’s SXSW performances were near-perfect. He’s still humble; hidden under a black cap at one of his shows, Kendrick would thank the crowd briefly before going into songs from his entire discography. Where other artists seemed to treat their performances like a test (meaning to win fans over that probably did not know who they were), Kendrick treated his shows like a celebration. The good kid can put on some good shows.

Worst:

Joey Bada$$: It bums me out to include Joey in this list but it’s true. I caught him during the mtvU Woodie Awards and it did not feel right. From missed (and very critical) rhymes to just a lack of projection in his voice, Joey’s performance was not what I thought it would be. Sure, the fans enjoyed it but nothing stuck out.

French Montana: Before I begin “Pop That” live was something of a spiritual experience. Montana encouraging the crowd to clap and yell “work” with no music accompaniment, was the equivalent to a dance ritual. With that said the rest of Montana’s set was lackluster. For one, a hip-hop show is always questionable when a drummer and no other live instrumentation is involved. Waka has done it pretty well for some of his live shows, but it didn’t work with Montana. Plus, he brought out Macklemore randomly halfway through his set, to perform “Thrift Shop.” It was weird and the crowd did not sit well with it. Montana’s performance began wrong and got worse with each song. Diddy’s guest appearance was cool though.

WTF:

Chief Keef: Honestly, this category was made just for Chief Keef. Keef’s only SXSW performance was on Saturday at the Ray Ban-sponsored Boiler Room event. Half of the people in line were solely there for Chief Keef and when it was announced that Keef would not perform, they all left. Was it wrong? Yes. Is it understandable? Somewhat. After all the guy had been released from juvenile detention a couple of days before his performance, so he probably wanted to hang out with his daughter and the Glory Boyz squad. Regardless, if there is anything to learn from this, is that Keef really gives not one f**k.