So, for weeks now the anticipation has been building around Young Nova's 'Gone Til NOVember' mixtape. The release party took place last night at one of Milwaukee's favorite venues for local music, Stonefly Brewery, on the Eastside.
Let me start by saying I REALLY wish Stonefly had a better sound system. 808's don't come off very well in there, it ends up sounding distorted and crackled. But it's spacious, easy to get to, there's plenty of sitting AND standing room and the drinks are well made. Moving on...
So I thought the show didn't start out very well. It was a tad unorganized and the crowd was just sitting idle for quite awhile listening to the most hood music possible. Every fat girl in Milwaukee with oodles of self-confidence was in attendance wearing the smallest clothes they could find shaking EVERYTHING that KFC, God, McDonalds and Taco Bell gave them. The hood niggas were also in full effect dressed to their nines with leather coats and crisp linings.
Why on Earth am I mentioning this? Because it simply solidifies a prior statement I made concerning The A-Team and their loyalty to the hood. Most of the local artists I prefer are sick with the word play, have extremely extensive vocabularies, and tend to come off as more intelligent individuals who are looking to advance in life not just in hip-hop. A-Team is more in tune with the hood, with the block. Folks that are more accustomed to repetitive beats, catchy hooks and playful lyrics, and let's not forget the customary AYE! thrown in several random spots.
Now to breakdown the show itself:
Once it started the crowd became energized, upbeat and ready to be amazed. The first act was a young man named Major. I had never heard of him, never heard his music or anything. I am astonished. He projected his voice perfectly and I understood every word that left his mouth [and truth be told Stonefly does NOT have the best sound set-up]. The beats were exceptional and his stage presence was commandeering. He owned that stage and I'm proud of him. I look forward to seeing more of him. Next up was a very random and unexpected performance (as far as I know) by our very own Ray Nitti. He has a single out right now that isn't worth writing about but catchy just the same. It's called "Bow" and I've hated it since I first heard it a few weeks ago. I'm still not interested in learning all the words but GOT DAMN if it didn't get the crowd out of their seats and hype as hell! Kudos. Now...when Young Nova took the stage I had no choice but to be completely still and watch carefully since it's my job to critque him. First of all, SHOUTOUT to his wife, Stacey J. for being super pregnant (but still gorgeous!) and rockin the fuck outta some sick ass black stilettos. Sure she sat down most of the night but still.... :)
Once Nov decided to take the stage and do his thing I was impressed. His flow was very clear, he appeared very comfortable and the songs were genuinely impressive. But - (there's always a but) he got tired quickly. He sat down on the stage where no one could see him and it became harder to hear him. I think he had WAY too many people on the stage and when you put girls on the stage, make sure they serve a purpose. His did not. They just stood there staring out into the crowd like they were mentally preparing themselves to stage dive. His overall performance was mediocre at best. He has loads of potential to put on an amazing performance but I'm a strong believer in practice makes perfect. I had fun and enjoyed myself. Good job.
Just Listen. ~ Soul
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