Pusha T
Showbox, Seattle, WA
03.04.16
Heavy 808 bass followed by crisp snares, beats that’ll make your head nod and body move amplified the entire venue, as the rapper from Virginia – and president of Kanye West’s record label, GOOD Music – Pusha T stopped by Seattle’s Showbox on March 4th. For the Darkest Before Dawn Tour, King Push brought along with him both Chicago artist Lil Bibby and G Herbo, each having recently released mixtapes: Lil Bibby’s Free Crack 3 and G Herbo’s Ballin Like I’m Kobe.
Lil Bibby and G Herbo were on stage pumping the crowd up, and did a great job engaging with the crowd. It was a traditional and personal performance. Turntables at the back of the stage and the artists onstage spewing their verses one on top of another. Lil Bibby and G Herbo’s style gave them a presence the crowd needed. Gold chains dangled on top of their black shirts, almost hypnotizing in a way as their chains swayed with the movement of their body and the music’s beat. As openers for Pusha T, these two rappers from Chicago really gave an entertaining performance.
There was a long intermission after Lil Bibby and G Herbo’s set. Pusha T’s appearance was really elevated from this overwhelming anticipation. There were two cross-shaped neon signs placed at the back of the stage, bearing the phrase “sin will find you out,” that illuminated as Pusha T started his performance. Excessive fog pumped onto the stage gave Pusha T an ethereal presence, while white light beams followed the cadence of the beat, slowly morphing the entire atmosphere into a sort of holy sanctuary.
The crowd was invited into Pusha T’s story from one song to another, each presented as a warm embrace. “Block” consisted of a more modern trap beat, while “MPA” gave a more sentimental message. The DJ’s occasional disc scratches really reminded the audience of the rawer and more personal days of hip-hop.
There were a lot of Kanye West’s songs during the performance as well. Pusha T would sing along with tracks such as “Runaway” and “Mercy.” Aside from that, songs he was featured in, like Future’s “Move that Dope,” get to have a place to shine in the show too. But what really made the Pusha T show special for the fans of Seattle was a surprise guest appearance. A member of Seahawks’ Legion of Boom, Kameron Chancellor, shocked the crowd as Pusha T introduced the Seahawks Safety to the stage. In a swift moment, the rap show turned into a football stadium, as the crowd chanted “Seahawks” throughout the entire venue.
Review by Kai-Yao Lan
Photos by Sunny Martini
Pusha T
