A line of several anxious concertgoers formed outside the Foundry at the Fillmore Oct. 15, to witness the A Quest for Love tour featuring St. Louis rapper Smino and Chicago’s rising rap star, Mick Jenkins.

Presented by Red Bull Sound Select, the tour is promoting the release of Mick Jenkins’ debut album “The Healing Component,” a highly-acclaimed concept album based around the subject of love, and Smino’s “Blkjuptr (EP),” released earlier this year.

Tickets were not available prior to the start of the show; anyone was allowed to RSVP online, however, for a discounted ticket at the door. Tickets were only available on a first-come first-serve basis, which resulted in a large line extending down the block before the doors opened at 8 p.m.

Once let in, fans glued themselves in front of the stage in attempt to get a good spot for the show, even though Smino wouldn’t come out to open for almost two hours.

The venue quickly filled up with people of all demographics eagerly awaiting Mick Jenkins to take the stage, even chanting at one point, “We want Mick!”

A disc jockey played several hits to keep the crowd preoccupied, even playing fan-favorites by Kanye West and other modern acts that easily got the audience excited as they danced and sung along.

At one point, a sound guy came on stage several times, checking the microphones and even climbing up and putting his ear to the speakers that hung from the ceiling. Perhaps this was a foreshadowing of the minor audio interference issues that occurred once or twice during each of Smino’s and Jenkins’ sets.

At last, 9 p.m. rolled around, the time the event was supposed to begin. A few minutes passed and neither Smino or Mick Jenkins were anywhere to be seen.

It wasn’t until just past 10 p.m., a whole hour after the initial show start time, that a bassist and DJ set up on stage and Smino entered stage right.

The audience cheered on the rapper as he stepped up to the microphone, looking out over the crowd and starting his set.

Smino played several tracks off of his five-track “Blkjuptr (EP).” Considered the lesser-known act out of the two performers, Smino surprisingly had several fans in the crowd as some rapped along to his songs.

Fan or not, most of the crowd was rocking along to Smino’s mesmerizing flow over punchy, modern production. The bassist/keyboardist added a unique element to the set playing live instruments alongside the backing tracks, a setup Mick Jenkins would use during his set, too.

Smino jumped off the stage to enter the crowd and vibe along with everyone, somehow managing to navigate through the tightly-packed audience before returning to the stage to finish his set.

As 10:30 p.m. passed, Smino wrapped up his set and exited the stage, retreating to the back room from whence he came. The DJ resumed playing music to entertain the crowd and several members of the crowd scattered to take a break before Mick Jenkins finally came out.

Around 11 p.m., Mick Jenkins nonchalantly walked up to the stage, along with a drummer, a DJ and a few backup singers. He stood resolutely, practically glaring at the crowd. An intense energy emanated from the Chicago emcee who at 6 feet 5 inches practically towered over the screaming fans.

Beginning his set with “Jazz” from his critically-acclaimed mixtape, “The Water[s],” Mick Jenkins’s set quickly went underway to the audience’s satisfaction. Playing several tracks off of the aforementioned mixtape, such as the title track, “Comfortable” and others, Jenkins tapped into the desires of his loyal fan base to hear the classics.

Jenkins also performed several songs off of his newest project, and still more songs off his sophomore mixtape, “Wave[s],” only interjecting his performance a few times to talk to the crowd about love and urging the audience to “drink more water,” his signature phrase.

By midnight, the show was finishing up and Mick Jenkins made sure to go out with a bang, playing a heavy-hitting trap song that had the crowd going berserk, jumping up and down as Mick Jenkins’ and his fellow stage members sprayed water bottles over the hyped-up fans.

With the show’s closer complete, Mick Jenkins thanked Philadelphia and his attending fans and left the stage. Mick Jenkins and Smino are finishing the U.S. leg of their tour this week before heading to Europe to tour through the new year.

Australian electronic musician Flume brought his infectious lights and sounds to the Electric Factory last week in support of his sophomore album, “Skin.”

After a very successful European tour, Flume ventured to North America to bring his Intelligent Dance Music (known as IDM) and glitch-based sounds to a whole new audience. With a strong fanbase in the U.S., it’s easy to understand how Flume, whose real name is Harley Streten, was able to sell out this show, as well as many others across the country.

At the venue, sometime after 7 p.m., a line formed outside, hours before doors opened early. Expectant fans were donned in summer apparel, ready to dance to Flume’s pulsating, electronic vibes.

The opening act was a duo by the name of Kenton Slash Demon. Hailing from Denmark, this house duo brought darker, more brooding sounds and heavy rhythms. Meanwhile, the crowd waded, scattered throughout the venue.

The second opener was Basenji, a fellow electronic artist from Australia. Basenji seemed to be able to tap more into the crowd’s fervor than Kenton Slash Demon, and soon enough, the audience clamored towards the standing area and became fixated on the experimental trip-hop sounds of Basenji.

After a roaring applause at the conclusion of his set, the audience was warmed up and ready for the main event.

By 10:20 p.m., the crowd’s eagerness hung in the air as everyone knew Flume would be coming out at any minute.

A few minutes later, the lights dimmed and music began to sound, barely audible over the cheers of passionate fans. A great deal of fog was being produced on stage and a black cloth hung from the ceiling down to the stage, shrouding the setup in a mysterious way.

Lights went off behind Flume’s DJ booth, flashing to the rhythm of the song playing. As the energy built up, Flume entered stage right and manned his station as the excitement nearly spilled over.

The music became tense, the sounds rose higher and higher until they culminated in the well-known “drop” where the beat lands hard and the main part of the song begins. At this time, the black curtain dropped from the stage and the lights blared behind Flume.

This kind of epic performance was further emboldened by Flume’s futuristic setup, with a bright screen above and behind him that produced various visuals for each of his tracks. In front of the screen were giant cubes, placed in such a way that made elements of the screen appear distorted and sometimes even three-dimensional.

From start to finish, Flume had his audience in a trance-like state, only breaking a few times to talk to the crowd. His set included several songs off of his newest album, “Skin,” as well as fan-favorite remixes and songs off his eponymous debut.

Flume did not disappoint; he delivered just as everyone expected, playing a dizzying array of neck-breaking beats and mind-melting synths. Flume masterfully incorporated lights, visuals and even live instrumentation via drum pad into a stellar performance that would turn any casual fan into a die-hard supporter.

Austin Dean – Jacob Dalton The Triangle

The post Student Austin Dean makes music part of everyday life appeared first on The Triangle.

Photo Courtesy ambrosiaforheads.com
Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, also known by his stage name Joey Badass, is a hip-hop artist from Brooklyn, New York. Joey Badass released his debut studio album, “B4.DA.$$,” Jan. 20.

As a hip-hop fan, I have my own personal tastes. As a hip-hop writer, I have to be open-minded. On my high horse, I consider myself a purveyor of underground hip-hop and serve as a gateway between peers and the music yet to be discovered by them.

There’s underground hip-hop that’s gritty, rough, rugged and raw. There’s underground hip-hop that’s refined, that tries to fit in with the trends of the mainstream. At times, there are many styles of music (hip-hop and otherwise) that I acquire and try to pass on to my friends as sort of a middle-man between this overlooked art and hungry consumers of anything new and different.

Enter stage right, a young teen from the community of Flatbush in the New York borough of Brooklyn. It’s 2012 and this kid pops up out of the abyss with a project titled “1999,” beckoning nostalgia simply by the letters on the cover.

After one spin, you can instantly recognize the ’90s hip-hop sound. Here’s a kid, barely out of adolescence, who is drawing on influences of a generation before him while simultaneously displaying his sharp lyrical abilities and definitive voice over smooth, sometimes jazzy, old-school instrumentals.

Fast-forward to now and Joey Badass is the young leader of a collective of hip-hop artists known as Pro Era. In the three years since he burst onto the scene, Joey has dropped another solo project, as well as verse after verse of microphone slaughter. The rapper, also known as OG Swank, has held the torch for Brooklyn hip-hop and defined a generation of young emcees across the country.

You see, after Joey Badass popped up on the scene, even though he borrowed his sound from those decades before him, other up and coming rappers started biting his style. It wouldn’t be uncommon for me to hear a new song by a trying artist that sounds exactly like a track by the subject of this piece. That makes Joey more than a modern hip-hop icon. He’s a trendsetter.

Hip-hop’s content is presently all over the place. There’s some seriously heavy material that may not be as popular as the less-conscious or less-serious tracks that crack the charts. West coast rapper Hopsin recently said in an interview with The Huffington Post that a big problem with rappers of the present is that their talents are not so far off of the listeners themselves. Hopsin explained:

“In the past, when you heard rappers not everyone thought ‘I could do that’ because you saw the skill it took. Now, when you hear what’s out you think you can do it too. It shouldn’t be that. I feel like it should be the same way a competitive sport is. If you ever watched Kobe [Bryant] playing basketball, you never sit and think, ‘I could easily do that.’ You don’t want to watch a sport thinking it’s that easy unless you’re a professional. But rap these days makes you think it takes no talent, and I hate that!”

The point that Hopsin is making is so relevant when you think of the chart-topping rap songs of recent years. But Joey Badass is different. Like few others, the Brooklyn emcee raps in ways practically unimaginable, and he’s better than ever on his latest release “B4.DA.$$” (pronounced “before the money”).

Joey has always been known for his bewildering metaphors and technical delivery that make you listen to his music five times over before finally catching at least some of what is hidden in the rapper’s flows. The album wastes little time in showcasing the lyrical talents of the rapper as he spits on one of the earlier tracks, “Paper Trail$:”

“Sitting back plotting, jotting information on my nation. / Really started from the bottom, boy, cotton, / But they still planting plantations, we keep buying in. / Closed-minded men, pride is higher than the prices on your Pradas and / Balenciagas, balance my soccer with the Henny agua.”

In the first few bars of the song, the Pro Era head touches on his rise in hip-hop, African-American history, consumerism and to top it all off, a good ol’-fashioned signature metaphor. Hip-hop fans will be hard-pressed to find a rapper today so lyrically gifted at such a young age.

Yes, I have my personal tastes, which Joey Badass fits in. And yes, I have a duty to be as unbiased as possible when discovering and critiquing music as a writer. But what is true for Joey Bad is that few rappers are as commercially appealing and lyrically powerful as him, and that’s what makes Joey and his new album so great.

It is Joey’s momentous debut. It’s his hello to the world of hip-hop. It’s the hair-rising, jaw-dropping, good vibes that leaders of hip-hop’s Golden Age paved when laying down the road for emcees like Joey to shine on. “B4.DA.$$” is one of the greatest hip-hop debuts of the last few years and certainly serves as a testament to the beauty, power and skill required to be a real hip-hop talent. If there’s one thing we can take away from the narratives, the articulate wordplay and the stunning production on “B4.DA.$$,” it’s that Joey Badass isn’t just a young emcee on the rise, he’s a poet adjusting his laurel crown.

The post Rising rap star Joey Badass releases debut, “B4.DA.$$” appeared first on The Triangle.

The fact that I have to write this is nauseating. Cyber bullying or cyber beefing is all too common in the world of hip-hop. Twitter’s conversational format and ability to say many offensive things in 140 characters or less has unleashed a land abundant with Internet buffoonery.

Exhibit A: the always outspoken Azealia Banks. The Harlem rapper always seems to have an opinion and the unappealing desire to share it with the world. Never one to be too soft, Banks tends to get aggressive behind her computer and phone and dish out unnecessary and laughable comments.

Literally all of her feuds thus far in her career have been conducted via Twitter. From contemporaries Kreayshawn and Iggy Azalea, to T.I. and Lil’ Kim, few rappers are safe from Banks’ digital wrath.

What’s worse is that most of the time, those being dissed by the New York City rapper respond via Twitter.

Have you seen the absolute chaos that ensued between Banks, Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi after Banks took a shot at Fiasco for praising Kendrick Lamar’s recent comments in Billboard magazine? It’s a disaster that you can’t help but look at –– I urge you to avoid it all costs (but you’ll probably be inclined to read the series of tweets just like I did). The argument transcended beyond some uncalled for remarks to all-out farce as Cudi apparently subweeted (inferred via indirect reference) Lupe.

Lupe responds. Cudi calls Lupe Fiasco, “Poope Fiasco.” Really?

But among all of this Twitter beefing, there’s a bigger issue at hand. Or is there? What sense can we non-celebrities make out of these stars going at it publicly for the world to see? A sense of connection to these presumed Hollywood-types? I mean, Banks is the frustrated seventh grader and Lupe is the snobby know-it-all. Cudi scoffs on the sideline only to be brought in to the sheepish hellfire and brimstone of pointless middle-schoolesque debacles.

Because that is what is really amazing about all of this. “They’re just like us!” Just like we have fights with friends and secretly despise self-determined “enemies,” these hip-hop stars are dishing it out through social media. This is great!

In reality, it’s really corny. But all kidding aside, it would be another essay to speak on the acculturation of social media on a larger scale (as it pertains to this scenario). On a smaller scale, these beefs further perpetuate the idea that our computers defend us. While that may be the case in some regard, we may come to think that we are invincible in what we say and who reads what we say on the Internet. Plus the quickness of sending out a tweet rarely allows users to actually think through what they want to say before unleashing questionable hogwash. This is not a repetition of your fifth grade lecture on Internet safety and behavior; rather, this is more of an analysis of why rappers are going at it on social media.

I simply cannot answer that question. Rappers have historically held grudges against other rappers and beefs have ensued. Usually, these beefs involve something a bit more than simply stating their opinions about something.

Perhaps it is a cry for attention. Perhaps it is a cry for acceptance. Perhaps some people just like to whine a lot. Whatever the reason may be, one can’t help but to lower their respect or at least appreciation and understanding of someone that is always taking shots at others behind the glowing screen of their computers and phones. Thus, I would like to call a strike against supporting any and all Twitter beefs from here on out. Unless Azealia Banks says something really comical, then by all means, read on!

The post Celebrity musicians stirring up Twitter trouble, but for what? appeared first on The Triangle.

Drexel hosted its very first Fall Fest concert Oct. 4, organized by the Dragon Concert Series with co-headliners Big Sean and 2 Chainz. A sea of wide-eyed 20-somethings clamored against the security gate in front of the stage, hands in the air, with an electrifying emcee feeding in to the energy of the night. As the beat crashed down, a steam cannon burst above the crowd and confetti rained down on the audience. It was a success.

According to senior entrepreneurship major and director of Dragon Concert Series Ben Melman, “Fall Fest became the largest concert in Drexel history two days before the show and sold out the day of with 5,500 attendees.” He continued, “our initial capacity was 7,500, but due to police and public safety restraints, we made the call to limit it to 5,500.”

With numbers like that, it’s easy to believe that the headlining acts were responsible for drawing such a large crowd. Sophomore finance student Connor Wilson admitted, “I only came for the last two artists, which were amazing. Big Sean is probably my favorite artist.” Being that Big Sean recently signed onto Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and is releasing a new album, the rapper listed under Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint is a relevant act to perform in the City of Brotherly Love. Since 2 Chainz is a G.O.O.D. Music label mate, it’s easy to assume his appearance is, as well.

The doors opened at 6 p.m., with people in line to get in late into the night. For students the tickets were $10 while for guests the price was $30. Sophomore biology student Tarynn Anthony noted, “The difference between the guests and the students [tickets] were a little bigger than it needed to be, but for artists like 2 Chainz and Big Sean I don’t think that even $30 was bad at all.” Other students also seemed to agree with the pricing, especially the student price.

This year’s show featured a number of openers, most of them falling under the umbrella of house or electronic dance music. Opening acts ranged from Drexel’s own Mr. Sampson and local singer Kriss Mincey, to bigger acts such as producers Cashmere Cat and Wave Racer. After Kriss Mincey wowed the crowd with her cover of Minnie Riperton’s unforgettable “Lovin’ You,” the DJs took the stage, each rocking the crowd with their electronic-tailored sets.

After three hours of EDM sets, punctuated by a few modern-day rap hits played to get the crowd hyped for its next hip-hop acts, people waited impatiently for the stars of the show to enter center stage. Two emcees kept the crowd engaged during the transitions between the acts, and to do so they amped up the crowd by urging audience members to chant “Free Meek Mill!” over and over — in reference to the incarcerated Philadelphian rapper.

Finally, a little after 9 p.m., the crowd roared as Big Sean jumped on stage and broke into his set. Paired with a drummer giving the performance that extra punch and live feel, he kicked off the biggest part of the show. Fans screamed for the Detroit rapper and rapped along to many of his songs. The whole crowd strongly felt the vibe of classics like “Mercy,” “My Last” and “Beware,” all hit singles. During “Beware,” Big Sean jumped off the stage and started walking by the crowd, holding up his mic and having individual audience members sing the hook: “When you said this was over / you shot right through my heart …” This lasted quite a few minutes, and the crowd loved it.

There was an infectious appeal to Big Sean’s performance. People were sitting on friends’ shoulders to get a better view; some concertgoers were even escorted out of the show for hopping the security gate in front of the stage — it was an effort just to keep the fans in their place.

At one point in the performance, Big Sean ripped off his shirt and threw it into the crowd, which really set it off. He continued, rapping other songs like the fan-favorite “Guap.” This one in particular rocked fans as the bass shook the pavement beneath their feet. The energy was nearly at its peak. That was, until the lion from the “Guap” music video came on stage wearing a Flyers jersey. The mascot of sorts took to the stage and danced along to the beat of the track as fans cheered him on. After performing his featured verse for “All Me,” the bonus track off Drake’s latest “Nothing Was the Same” album, Big Sean closed out his set and exited left.

“As expected, the crowd responded well to all of the artists on the bill, particularly to Big Sean, who featured a live band, and to 2 Chainz, who featured a stellar laser show,” Melman said. 

Dragon Concert Series pushed for an encore appearance by Big Sean but according to a member of his entourage, the rapper had to leave immediately after his set to attend a 17-year-old’s birthday party in New York City. He apologized he could not stay longer for photos and interviews and waved to us as he exited the stage and entered his Escalade.

All that was left was 2 Chainz, a polarizing figure in the world of hip-hop. The two emcees returned to the stage and resumed their “Free Meek Mill” chant, although the crowd did not seem as into it as they were before. No matter, because 2 Chainz wasted no time keeping the fans thriving by hitting the stage and getting the crowd to call out his name in classic fashion: “2 Chaaaainnnnz!”

In an interesting break of sequence, 2 Chainz picked up where Big Sean left off by reciting his verse off of the same track Big Sean ended his set with — “All Me.” It’s unclear why they did not perform the song together and then have Big Sean leave while 2 Chainz took over, but the crowd did not seem to mind as they began singing along to Drake’s dubbed chorus for a second time: “Came up, that’s all me / stay true, that’s all me / no help, that’s all me / all me, for real!”

Being an artist known for his array of features containing easily memorable lyrics, 2 Chainz’s set was peppered with numerous chart-topping rap singles, both of his own kind and features. He brought the crowd back to his early days with his first hit as half of the duo Playaz Circle. “Duffle Bag Boy” was first; “Turn Down for What” and “Talk Dirty to Me” came soon after and were two of the highlights of 2 Chainz’s set, since the crowd raved and jumped in unison with the heavy bass drops.

2 Chainz was very comfortable on stage, at one point grabbing a box and sitting on it and even sliding across the stage laying on it like Superman. During one song, his entourage came out on stage too and began rocking with the headliner and with the crowd. Lot F was alive with excitement.

At 11 p.m., the G.O.O.D. Music artist took a break from the music and asked to have the lights turned on so he could see the crowd. He then asked for everyone to put two fingers in the air; it was then that a cadence of distorted, bell-like synths bubbled in the background which everyone instantly recognized as the melody to 2 Chainz’s lead single from his debut album. “No Lie” bumped loud as the crowd kept their hands in the air and cheered on the emcee. After a bridge in the song, the beat dropped with a grand finale of steam cannons and confetti blasters that blew a sea of bright colors all across the venue.

In a much more open atmosphere, Fall Fest gave wind to a lot of space for concertgoers to be, but few could leave the seemingly magnetic presence of the stars on stage. When asked what they thought of the show, every single student interviewed attested that Fall Fest was great; most even said it was better than Midnight Madness and Homecoming, the shows that this event replaced.

If one thing is for certain, it is that the main acts did not disappoint. Big Sean’s high energy and crowd engagement warmed them up to 2 Chainz’s hits that slapped the crowd left and right. There was never a dull moment when they were on stage. Based on the outcome of the show, the audiences’ engagement and overall appeal, many students agreed that they would come to future Fall Fests. Though this is Melman’s first and last Fall Fest, if this year’s show is any indication, a new standard for concerts at Drexel has been created and is here to stay.

Correction: October 16, 2014
An earlier version of this article implied that Drexel Traditions was the primary organizer of Fall Fest, when in fact Dragon Concert Series was. The earlier version also made inappropriate speculations about how Big Sean’s contract was obtained. Big Sean’s contract was secured by DCS through his agent. The Triangle regrets these errors.