No Gimmicks

photo by Max Herman

The decent-sized crowd who made it out to the Abbey last Friday for Astonish and Verbal Kent’s dual album release party was treated to a long lineup of gimmick-free hip-hop. Unlike recent shows thrown by the Molemen and/or Gravel Records, there were no beat showcases or live art happening – just unadulterated rapping from some of the city’s better indie MCs.

What was appreciated about this showcase was that everyone – in a very un-hip-hop fashion -- stuck to the schedule, making the night free of dull down time. One of the best sets came courtesy of the long absent Rusty Chains. This gravely voiced rhymer proved that he hasn’t lost his grimy flow or penchant for gutter raps. And when headliner Verbal Kent joined him on stage, it was an impressive reunion between these two longtime collaborators. As for VK’s own set, it was also a family affair being that he was often joined by his Giraffe Nuts crewmates like Lance Ambu and Alltruisms. The headlining set was a dose of witty battle rap at its best. The other featured man of the night, Astonish, was just as energetic while performing tracks off his recently released EP, From Now Until Forever. With the help of his hype man, Astonish rapped about his player-isms and hard times alike with equal vigor.

Respect is also due to DJ Sean Doe, who helped the show move along accordingly by deftly manning the tables for a majority of the night. It would have been nice to see a better turnout last Friday, but those who did come out no doubt left with little to complain about. --Max Herman