Pusha T takes hip-hop to a brave new future at The Trocadero

Pusha T | Photo by Matthew Shaver for WXPN | brightloud.com

Pusha T has made a career out of carrying on the spirit of the 90s.  First as a member of The Clipse with his brother, and now as a solo artist and head of Kanye Wests GOOD Music label.

But, while he may be rooted in aesthetics that seem dated in a world taken over by an increasing crop of interesting DIY units, he’s taken hip-hop in to a brave new future.  His flow is classic, but he’s never afraid to alliterate over more adventurous music than most of his peers.  His content is steely and cold, but Pusha himself is an electrifying personality.

For this tour, which stopped at The Trocadero last night, he has chosen to put himself out on stage, alone and exposed, in times when most artists surround themselves with at least one hype-man.  Even the DJ was pushed to the furthest edges of the stage, so as to keep focus on Pusha and his content.  The sound was crisp, and the backing tracks took nothing away from his excited lyrics, as he bound around the stage, buying into everything he was saying, and successfully selling it to the capacity crowd.

That’s all you can ask for at a show devoid of distracting theatrics.  Just a man and his fans, with the raw power of a passionate artist.