Reviewed on Tuesday May 3 (photo by Ashley Mar)
There are two sides to Danny Brown’s music. The first comes from a telltale Detroit native who takes us through a rough childhood, home invasions and drug addiction in rap narratives. The second is a trap MC who has found his perfect counterpart in DJ Skywlkr to bring us thumping music perfect to take molly to.
Zelooperz opened for Brown at the Metro on Tuesday night, and then joined the headliner for his entire set, fulfilling hype man duties. This member of Detroit’s Bruiser Brigade is one to check out for both his rough rapping and paintings, the latter being the only thing for sale at the merch desk.
To this crowd’s joy, Danny Brown’s set was mostly 2013’s Old rather than 2011’s XXX or 2010’s The Hybrid, playing ‘Dip’, ‘Smokin & Drinkin’, ‘25 Bucks’ and ‘Break It (Go)’ among others from his arguably most produced and danceable album. ‘Attak’, the collab with the producer behind ‘Break It (Go)’, Rustie, particularly turned the room way up.
Afterwards someone asked me what I was on, and when I replied I was sober he said, “Dude, to not be on anything is disrespecting Danny.” I don’t doubt being on the majority of the crowd’s level would have worked, but being clear-headed let me hear how both sides of Brown’s music concurrently exist. He’s the ‘Adderall admiral’ and the young boy who was given food stamps by his mum to go buy ‘wonderbread’.
Last year, on their respective visits to Sydney, Vince Staples and Earl Sweatshirt were offended by obnoxious audiences. Sweatshirt was rushed during ‘Grief’ and Staples had cans and clothing thrown at him after sternly warning the crowd that that wasn’t cool. The disrespect came from everyone being too gacked to hear what either rapper was actually saying. On this occasion, there was no disrespecting Brown. You were either following long and thrilling stories about what life’s like in Brown’s lane, or dancing like a maniac, knocking your brain out.
