On an unusually warm April evening, The First Unitarian church was packed to watch the master of ceremonies MIKE takes the stage. After some amazing opening acts — including D.C. rapper Sideshow and the experimental cello-and-vocal duo Slauson Malone 1 — MIKE hopped on the mic and made sure to show love to the openers and to his family that were in the building. For me, love is what I felt throughout this set. The environment in the building felt warm and inviting, which isn’t something you normally expect at a hip-hop show, but it was in the building this night.
MIKE’s DJ droped the beat and the crowd, like they knew what was coming, broke out into the chorus for “As For Me” at the top of their lungs singing “thank god I’m livin’, I didn’t go to prison, for my brother and my sister I’ll make the ugliest decisions” as MIKE paced the stage. He provides a visceral view in his raps and the crowd looked like they felt his every word. MIKE even mentioned that he spent a year here in Philly attending North East High School, saying he heard Lil Uzi went there too. So Philly does hold a special place in MIKE’s heart, and the show he put on felt that way. But I can honestly say it feels like MIKE is the type of artist who gives his all at every show, for his fans.
Being only relatively aware of his music before the show, I certainly walked away a fan. The energy seldom seemed to dip throughout the set, probably peaking at the Sister Nancy-assisted “Stop Worry!” and “nuthin i can do is wrng,” but MIKE knew how to keep the crowd involved throughout and seemed to be enjoying himself as much as the crowd was.
It was an inspiring show as a creative, watching someone give their whole heart in their performance. If MIKE is in town, you need to go!
Mike | photo by John Vettese for WXPN
Mike | photo by John Vettese for WXPN
Slauson Malone 1 | photo by John Vettese for WXPN
Slauson Malone 1 | photo by John Vettese for WXPN
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