Biggie, Big L, Jay Z, Nas. Four rappers that are synonymous with the New York Hip-Hop scene for the past couple decades. As the genre continues to evolve and breed a new generation of rhyme sayers, one of the Beast Coasts’ biggest artists, Joey Bada$$, has set himself apart with a reminiscent style of boom bap vibes that gave East Coast Hip Hop its unique identity.
At the young age of 17, Joey Bada$$ broke onto the Hip-Hop scene with his collective of rappers called Pro Era, and channeled the energy of legends that New York rap so highly praised. With his track “Survival Tactics” which featured fellow Pro Era emcee, Capital Steeze, Joey B gave the world the reassurance that his movement was no joke. Right off the bat, Joey propelled himself from obscurity, becoming the #1 prospect to lead the young class of emerging rappers , placing himself among names like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and A$AP Rocky. After 3 years of proving his mettle, Joey is now here, headlining his own tour titled the #WorldDominationTour. Is this unbridled ambition, braggadocio, a mission statement, or all of the above?
Joey B recently took a trip a several thousand miles west to Santa Ana, CA for what can be considered an “away game” of sorts at the Observatory OC. Despite being off of his home turf, there was no doubt from the vibe of the crowd that he would be welcome on California soil. Joey had been out to this venue several times before in the past few years. However, coming off of a recent freshman album release with his project, B4.DA.$$, his west coast fans had a greater incentive to share their energy and love for the Brooklyn native, hoping that he would reciprocate with one of the livest shows they’ve ever seen.
Trust me, Joey didn’t disappoint. The laid back, chill vibes of Southern California was nowhere to be seen that night, with Joey bringing the grittiness and grime of his music to life on stage. Performing tracks off of his highly acclaimed mixtape, 1999, and follow up tape, Summer Knights, Joey made sure to cover all of the popular tracks he knew his fans wanted to hear while also bringing out a few surprises along the way.
By the end of it all, Joey Bada$$ provided Cali with possibly one of the best Hip Hop concerts witnessed so far this year. With many doubting the state of New York and East Coast Hip Hop music in general, it’s safe to say that with artists like Joey B at the forefront, The Beast Coast has the world considering impending domination…