SNVRK

Big Sean's concerts are a lot like his music: heavy on the beats and the bass, a little irreverent, and jocular. You never know what he'll pull out of his sleeve. During smash hit "High," he stumbles on stage as though intoxicated. When the time comes to perform hit "Clique," he'll bring other GOOD Music members onstage to rap their parts live. And don't be surprised if he sheds a tear during his more emotional tracks, like the aptly-named "Memories."

Fan appreciation if a major part of Big Sean's shows. He focuses on keeping the crowd engaged, whether it's dancing or rapping along (or both!). To connect, he might jump into the crowd for a little surfing, or clasp hands with as many audience members as possible. And that high-energy attitude extends to his performances, too--he makes a point to rap over instrumentals, eschewing backing vocals.

His attitude is always tempered by humor; the bragging is never offensive. He jokes with the crowd to warm them up at the beginning. He'll pull off his shirt to prove he has no tattoos--his mother doesn't approve of them. And he thanks her for everything she has taught him in between songs. The humor, the emotions, and the booty-shaking music make his concerts feel like one big party, one you'll want to go to again.

okay so i initially wanted to go to the first show at 9 pm, but it was sold out. then i found out a few days later that there was a 2nd show right after at 11 pm, so i immediately bought the tickets to that one. and i got there and it was also packed.

we went inside, there was not a lot of white people. almost none. this is not a bad thing, though. don't get me wrong here. the cool thing about the crowd was that there were a lot of pretty women (in high heels showing the hell out) that came out to the show because obviously bryson tiller is an r&b singer who talks about love and females that he has fell out of it with, so i was expecting that. however, there were also a lot of dudes there. and they were just as excited to see tiller. i cannot front. one reason can be that, obviously, wherever the girls go the guys will follow, but at the same time they really enjoyed the music. i think it was also because bryson tiller was talking from a perspective that a lot of guys find themselves in or are familiar with, which resonates with them. also, the beats are hard, to be vague about it. they just slap. i'm not going into detail on what that means. if you know you know.

anyway, yeah it was a cool show. bryson tiller was swagged out. he did his thing. he's a new artist but he didn't look nervous, but he did look like he was just a bit inexperienced in taking over a stage. i mean, i'm not mad at him. he did his thing, he played all the joints i wanted him to play, and when "don't" came on, THE WHOLE CROWD SANG ALONG. it was crazy.

dave

Dominique Marquis Cole, probably better known by his rap sobriquet, Domo Genesis, is a rapid up-and-comer in the hip-hop world. Rising through the ranks as part of OFWGKTA, and sub group MellowHigh (alongside Mellowhype), Genesis has proved himself a stand-out member of the collective, building a burgeoning solo career and merch line, including perhaps the weirdest collectable: his own strain of medicinal marijuana, Domo OG. A slew of well-received mixtapes have buttered up the awaiting masses, and apparently his debut LP is set for a 2014 release, though the deets are so far scant. None of this hype that surrounds Genesis', erm, genesis, would be warranted without an inflammatory and incendiary live show. Charisma burbles in his throat, frothing forth with every spat line or rhythmic flurry; rappers are, by trade, experts in the art of bravado, but where some are dilettante minnows in a pond of huge fish, Genesis is a shark. He knows he's talented. Arrogance is a given, but it's part of his charm – his performances benefit from the cascading self-aggrandisement. It belies his style, which Pitchfork have characterised as psych-rap: “Deep-voiced, sleepy-eyed Domo doesn't have the magnetic bloodlust of the rest of the crew; most of the time, he just wants to puff away in peace. The production is dazed, MF Doom-esque psych-rap – good for vibe, not close attention – and Domo's voice, usually deep in the mix, works just the same.” It's a wonderful juxtaposition, and Genesis can manipulate a crowd's mood on a whim. When he offloads cuts like “Rolling Papers”, everyone in attendance is putty in the palm of his hand.