I caught a hip hop show at Drom, a smallish venue in the East Village. It was a showcase show for some up and coming artists. I went there to support my friend who had gotten the call to fill in for an act that was not going to make it. Nevertheless, I got there a bit late and missed the first act, but in time to see my friend NYCEEJ perform. He was accompanied by a DJ who worked off some turntables, a Pioneer mixer, and a MacBook. CEEJ paced the stage wearing his own merch. A hoodie and hat with his own logo, a stylized bearded face, on it.
The room was modest in size, but there was a nice turnout overall. What stood out to me was that the crowd wasn’t necessarily dancing. It was more of a subdued hype. People were moving rhythmically to the music, feeling it more than anything. The ones who knew his lyrics would complete bars, and those that learned the hooks performed along with him. The crowd’s look was what would be expected for members of this scene. Oversized shirts, sneakers, fitted hats, snapbacks, and other types of streetwear. One guy sitting near the stage off to the side had a shirt on with “PE$O” on it in a similar style to NYCEEJ’s hoodie.
Overall, I had a fun time out and listening to the music live. It’s always been fun to hear big speakers feel like they are going to change the rate that your heart beats in. It did make me feel connected to the other people in attendance that were enjoying the show. It’s the type of feeling that can lead to live performances feeling like a religious experience when they are on a grander scale.
