If an artist can accomplish three things, they often are considered great: 1) Displaying effectively an obvious influence of the greats before them. 2) Fitting the wave of what the people are feeling at the moment, while in your prime. 3) Elevating their craft or contributing something unique to a movement. Detroit emcee and one of the hottest emcees on the scene right now, Danny Brown, delivers in all 3 criteria of greatness.
Brown’s understanding of emceeing, hip hop music, and also electronic party music is obviously influenced, refined, and strengthened by golden era hip hop, and his father who was a Detroit House music DJ. He’s also able to capture a great deal of pain and rawness in his music, which gives him more substance than many other trending EDM influenced emcees as of late. But in addition to satisfying the demanding lyrical palate of the snobbiest backpacker, he’s very current and ‘now’ sounding and looking. His fucked up grill, pressed emo kid hair do, and Rick Owens lookbook aesthetic make him intriguing at the very least, and makes him both unique and on trend.
I watched him kill a crowd of about 800 to 900 people. The whole vibe of the show from beginning to end was refreshing, as the last show I covered was Paid Dues, and I walked away from that all day festival having not even broken a real sweat, nor was my voice hoarse. Danny Brown’s show was everything a great show should be, from his crown control and energy, to the perfection of the location that the Glass House was.
I have not seen crowd this turnt since Busta Rhymes performed for free at the University of Riverside seven years ago, which is saying a lot since, in my opinion, Busta Rhymes is the greatest live performer ever – and that was the best live performance I’ve seen him give. The entire crowd was into the show, from front to back. A good seventy five percent of the people there new the words to every song, and the other twenty five at least were wildin’ out when the more well known cuts came on.
I had an amazing time at this show and gained an appreciation for 3 things: 1) Danny Brown’s fans. 2) The Glasshouse as a venue for great hip hop shows again. 3)Danny Brown’s ceremony mastering skills.
If you have not seen Danny Brown live yet, you’re a sleepy eyed retard slacker. Word is bond. Do yourself a favor and catch this guy live the very next opportunity you get and tell ’em The 5th Element Magazine sent you. Check out the fly party people who made the journey to experience the show and wound up leaving satisfied.
