Dressed in their freshest “Jawwdinz,” the highest heels, and dirtiest Vans available, the diverse crowd at the Moody Theater Wednesday night was treated to high-watt doses of the past, present, and future of hip-hop.
Leading the heavy-lifting segment of the Beer n Tacos x Street Execs showcase, was official Texas Ambassador Trae tha Truth. Though going on before his scheduled time, the Houston MC wasted no time properly setting the stage for an eventual appearance by Mr. Coco himself, OT Genasis.
What followed was an odd mini-showcase within a showcase, featuring Georgia MC 2 Chainz and his merry men of the TRU (The Real University) clique, including Bankroll Fresh, Skooly, Cap.1, and Fresh. Each waxed hood financial over eardrum-slaughtering trap 808s, though each successive act more or less sounded like a Chainz alter ego.
What drives trap can also be the same quality that becomes its death rattle. If not balanced correctly, with just enough differentiation, the tribal essence gets lost, converting the beat patterns into something akin to driving over roughly grated pavement. You end up wondering when it will smooth out.
Curiously enough, the superstar ATLien MC even ran back a performance of a new single, “Jump,” for which none of the seven people who jumped for the first run-through, felt enough to expend additional energy. In fact, by that point the acts (and entourages) onstage seemed to be entertaining themselves.
Renowned Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex recharged the puzzled crowd with injections of Jay Z and 50 Cent singles, as well as his famous demands: “Get your muthafucking hands up!” Taking it back – way back, to the early Aughts – Dipset did nothing but kick out the jams.
The fearsome Harlem foursome – Cam’ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, and Freekey Zekey – avoided the early shenanigans and ran high heat over the plate, with classic standbys “Oh Boy,” “Hey Ma,” “We Fly High (Ballin’),” and a strong rendition of “Dipset Anthem.” The awed masses left the Moody high.
Complete SXSW Music coverage at austinchronicle.com/sxsw/music
This article appears in March 13 • 2015.
