Oddisee’s performance last Tuesday night was nothing short of a powerful display of individuality and self-liberation. As one of his most popular tracks NNGE opens “I mean what is there to fear? I’m from black America, this just another year” Oddisee shows us through his unique style of poetic political narrative that the path to freedom isn’t found in stagnation.
When I got to the venue the local opener had already started. The rhythm and rhymes were in the pocket (mostly) however the vibe was hype. Not my palate however, nothing surprising, and I suppose that’s the job of an opener, right? Next up was Evidence, I had never heard Evidence prior to this show, so it was interesting to get to know his stuff as much as one can in a single set. The vocals were, unfortunately, too muddy to make out much, but from what I heard it had a lot more imagery and story than the first act (or what I saw of it) and that’s something I always appreciate in verse.
After Evidence, a lot of the crowd left which disappointed me, although it was a work night. Oddisee opened with a personal favorite, Lifting Shadows, and from there he kept the small crowd going. Other than a few moments that made me shake my head (Yes I’m talking to you Caucasian-male-appearing person who shouted “March on Washington” halfway through the set) the show was captivating and full of energy. Oddisee even gave a history lesson on the origin of coffee and why coffee drinkers should think twice before they discriminate against those from the same area as the bean itself.