Isaiah Rashad (Photo Credit: Lina Skrzypczak
Drunk 16 year olds surround me as someone in the crowd* stole opener, Jay IDK’s Supreme hat off stage. A bad start, reflective of the underage punks, moderately redeemed by the crowd chanting, “Give the hat back!” and anticipating the worst. Luckily, the kid who stole the hat apparently left and the show went on without much more delay.
Isaiah’s set was preceded by Lance Skiiwalker and Jay IDK, both high energy, although different in style. Both were a nice mood setters for the already entertaining happenings around us. Shout out to Jay IDK, which I found out stands for Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge, for vibing with the crowd about his struggles through relatable lyrics and an array of personas.
Rashad’s debut album, The Sun’s Tirade, dropped in September and is full of insightful and intense lyricism as well as melodic, mellow beats, mixed with Rashad’s smooth, sometimes gritty voice, all very reflective of TDE as a whole. Rashad’s style is similar to his peers, such as Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul, both also a part of Top Dawg Entertainment.
Shows at Larimer Lounge feel like you’re seeing someone perform in maybe your mom’s basement, and in this case, that was awesome. A perfect, intimate setting for real fans, it was as though every person in the room was singing his lyrics back to him. I will also say that it was refreshing to see someone who cares so genuinely about their fans. Halfway through his performance he humored the crowd with a song about staying hydrated while he and his crew passed out waters. In addition to this, he stayed afterwards to sign autographs and snap photos with fans.
Songs like 4r Da Squaw, Titty Dolla, and RIP Kevin Miller (off the Cilvia Demo) had the crowd dancing, singing back, and hip hop moshing (which is so tight and also a god damn sight to see). The banger and most anticipated song was, as usual, the finale. Free Lunch is a song about the lifestyle Rashad lived, growing up on food stamps, chasing “nines and dimes”, to his come up now, making money, with a really catchy hook and a fun beat to match. Rashad’s energy was wonderful and lighthearted, cracking jokes about the altitude and of course, the weed.
A worthwhile Wednesday night, only to be improved by an older crowd, I’d recommend this man, and his performance to my hip hop heads and mainstream lovers alike.
*Hat thief, if you’re out there, you stink, and are a rotten music fan.
- Lina Skrzypczak