Walking into a crowded Cardiff’s Tramshed at 8.30pm on a Wednesday, immediately you can sense that it was a night JPEGMafia’s fanboys had been strongly anticipating. The night begins with UK rapper Denzel Himself, slickly accessorised in a colossal cowboy hat and oversized sparkly belt. Denzel is nothing to scream about, but his covers of Black Eyed Peas’ Don’t Phunk With My Heart and King Krule’s Stoned Again create an eclectic setlist.
After Denzel, the smokers’ area is chockablock with fresh-faced, heavily-merchandised fans discussing Brooklynite JPEGMafia – deliberating what songs he would perform, friendships being formed through their love for the rapper. Making the way back into the venue, a haze of steam has formed above the already-sweaty crowd.
Even if you aren’t familiar with Peggy – as he commonly goes by – as soon as his gruff voice fills the room it’s impossible to ignore. His vocals are gritty and cutting, yet at points, it’s difficult to hear them properly through the overpowering chants of “PEGGY!” from his loving supporters. During songs, breaking waves of bodies separate, crashing down at each chorus into a frenzy of moshpits with cups flying in every direction. Scanning the crowd, it’s hard to tell whether everyone is soaked in drink or their own sweat.
Regardless, everyone is clearly having a wild time, and Peggy reflects this, chaotically jumping around the stage and bursting into warcries. “All I see is beautiful heads of hair…” he exclaims to a sea of predominantly young, fluffy-haired whiteboys. “Where my bald bitches at?” BALD!, the ferocious upshot of this intro, is a set highlight alongside Nemo and, at the crowd’s request, the tendentiously-named I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies. At one point, Peggy announces an acapella, which turns out to be an autotune-infused cover of Call Me Maybe.
Between dodging moshers and soaring liquids, the night was enjoyable – just best fitted, perhaps, for those who love JPEGMafia most. Sometimes it did feel like the acoustics weren’t the most forgiving for Peggy’s experimental, choppy beats; and despite this being a one-man show, Peggy says little between sets. But his appreciation for a dedicated fanbase shines through when he stays behind to meet the crowd after the set’s finished.
Tramshed, Cardiff, Wed 31 Aug
words INDIA MUNDAY
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