Mick Jenkins & The Underachievers Win Crowd With Charisma & Confidence

0

Mick Jenkins & The Underachievers, Powerstation March 21 2018

After impressing fans at Laneway last year with his enthusiastic and hit-fuelled set, Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins returned down under to play to a packed Powerstation in Auckland last night. With support from Brooklyn underground rap duo The Underachievers, this was the first of two shows he will play in New Zealand on his Australasian tour.

Jenkins has experienced a massive rise in the last two years going from strength to strength and quickly developing a reputation as being one of the most talented rappers in the game. He released his debut album The Healing Component in 2016 one of the best rap albums of that year, while only just last month dropped a new free mixtape on Soundcloud Or More: The Frustration. Given this success and a new batch of tunes to showcase, the packed crowd at the Powerstation would have been hoping to see a rapper on top of his game, and, thankfully, they would not be disappointed.

Proceedings kicked off with the Underachievers, their first show in Auckland since whipping the Kings Arms into a frenzy in 2016. I was that gig and it remains one of the most ferocious rap shows I have been to. How would they compare this time? The answer, very favourably, and in many respects outdoing their position as the opener to Mick.

Playing tracks from across all of their albums, AKTHESAVIOUR and Issa Gold worked the stage well and commanded the attention of the audience throughout their hour-long set. The only issue came when Issa Gold occasionally strayed too far in front of the speaker causing some bad feedback at the back of the venue. Thankfully, that did not distract from an excellent set which hyped up the crowd nicely.

By the time Mick came on at 11.30, the crowd was amped and ready for the Chicago man to deliver his rap goodness and spread the love as he so often proclaims in his songs. Playing with a three-piece band who I must say were extremely talented, Mick took the crowd through a glorious set of his hits as well as some new songs which will appear on his yet unnamed up and coming album. Highlights included Spread Love, Your Love, and P’s & Q’s, while the new songs that were probably getting an airing for the first time sounded promising for his next album whenever he decides to release it.

What struck me again having seen Mick at Laneway in 2017 is how he commands the stage with great charisma and confidence. He struts around out front, engaging warmly with the crowd, while his band is simply happy to play second fiddle and provide him with some tight backing arrangements for him to bounce off. It is almost as if he is the frontman of a rap group and it clearly works if the crowd’s reaction was anything to go by who were taken in by every beat and every word.

It was a big night in Auckland for rap with GoldLink also playing, however, those who got the chance to see Mick Jenkins and the Underachievers were treated to two excellent sets from two acts at opposite ends of the rap spectrum. You had the gritty underground sound of the Underachievers setting the scene for the smoother jazzy beats of Mick Jenkins. However, despite these subtle stylistic differences both delivered great performances to a crowd who responded very favourably to both.

Auckland has been spoiled when it comes to rap gigs this summer with the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Big Boi, and now Mick Jenkins and the Underachievers putting on shows. Given this, Aotearoa rap fans must continue to pinch themselves when they turn out in droves to see acts as good as the two who played at the Power Station last night at the top of their game and ready to put on a spectacle of which those who attended will remember for a long time.

Sam Smith

The 13th Floor
Latest posts by The 13th Floor (see all)