KRS-ONE | LIVE REVIEW
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Thurs 9 Feb
A hugely anticipated hip-hop event took place in Cardiff last week as KRS-One – aka The Blastmaster or Teacha – found himself in Wales for the first time. It became evident by the demographic of the crowd that KRS-One’s performance had been awaited for decades by some eager lifelong fanatics. There was an air of intense excitement in the crowd of Clwb Ifor Bach as one of the most prominent MCs of all time was about to take to the stage.
Building up to Blastmaster bursting onto the stage, we received a performance from a group of British MCs named the Culture Vultures. Enthusiastic in their performance but lacking finesse in production and lyricism, if there was any resemblance of the audience being subdued by this act, it was quickly reversed by a masterfully mixed set from DJ Predator. In the short time prior to Teacha arriving on stage, his DJ played classic hip-hop tracks that massively appeased the Welsh fans (even if the same mix could also be found on DJ Predator’s Soundcloud page).
Following tracks from hip-hop greats, there was a great live in the flesh and the crowd responded in kind. The 51-year-old KRS did not miss a single beat or bar on any track that he performed, including some of his most iconic hits like Sound Of Da Police, 9mm, and particular favourite Step Into A World (Rapture’s Delight). Additionally, Teacha lived up to his name in a freestyle that consisted of a conspiracy theory linking Matt Damon’s latest movie to Donald Trump’s ambitions to build a wall. It was a brazen example of conscious rap, one appreciated greatly by the conspiracists in the room.
Considering that KRS has been performing for over three decades, he still conjuresup a zealous and aggressive atmosphere on the stage. The production from DJ Predator matched the MC’s flow with beats that leaned more towards hardcore rap than hip-hop. As anyone would expect the Blastmaster delivered a commanding live performance that Cardiff welcomed with both hands in the air.
words CAMPBELL PROSSER
