Last Sunday, June 16, I had the privilege of witnessing hip-hop prodigy Joey Bada$$ perform at Dundas Square in Toronto. To say he exceeded my expectations would be an understatement, his performance was mind-blowing. DJ/producer extraordinaire Statik Selektah held it down on the turntables during Joey's set, and never skipped a beat. Bada$$ started things off with classic tracks "Summer Knights" and "Waves", from his mixtape "1999." Both tracks are personal favourites of mine, and they had the crowd buzzing with excitement. Another banger (at least in my opinion) that he performed was "Pennyroyal", which was produced by the enigmatic rapper/producer MF DOOM. Bada$$ effortlessly dropped verse after verse of complex rhymes, proving that he is one of the elite, up-and-coming lyricists in the game. It's hard to believe that this dude is only 18 years old.
Other notable tracks that he performed include: "95 Til Infinity", "School High", "Unorthodox" and "Word Is Bond". "Unorthodox" was produced by legendary DJ/producer DJ Premier. "Word Is Bond" will be featured on his upcoming mixtape "Summer Knights", which is scheduled to drop on July 1. Fellow Pro Era member Kirk Knight showed a strong stage presence, as he performed alongside Joey Bada$$ during some of the songs. I particularly enjoyed when Bada$$ paid tribute to former Pro Era member and close friend Capital STEEZ, who tragically passed away back in December. The tribute elevated his performance even more.
In my opinion, the sky is the limit for this lyrical genius, who hails from Brooklyn. He just needs to continue gaining notoriety and exposure. If he stays focused and keeps his eye on the prize, he will become one of the heavyweights in the rap game, sooner than later.
No comments:
Post a Comment