On Wednesday, October 2nd, Locksmith, Demrick, and Jarren Benton performed at the Virgil, kicking off their Barcode tour. Locksmith delivered an impactful performance, showcasing hits from Ali, Lock Sessions, and his latest project, No Atheists in Foxholes. He made the night memorable by connecting with the audience. Demrick also brought the crowd together, emceeing the night and performing tracks from Came a Long Way, The Plot, and Payday
Jarren Benton electrified the night with his performances of “My Grandma’s Basement,” “Slow Motion,” and “Yuck Fou.” The evening also featured J. Lately, Oshea Boyd, and El Prez, making for a night filled with talented spitters.
Erick Sermon has joined forces with DJ Eddie F and Jarren Benton to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by releasing a single titled “This Is Hip-Hop.” As hip-hop faces shifting sales trends and concerns about originality, seasoned rap veterans from the “Golden Era,” appear to have come to the rescue. A Vow To Keep […]
The Underground at Catch One reeked of the finest weed smoke while rap lovers gathered around the stage to spark the beginning of Dizzy Wright’s “It Gets Greater Later” tour. Supporting acts included: Los Angeles-based Demrick, Jarren Benton representing Decatur, GA, and Reezy from the capital of sin, Las Vegas.
As I pushed the doors open, I was met by a sweet herbal smell and a huge cloud of Dizzy OG (the award-winning strain of our headline act). There were merch tables filled with tees, vinyl records, CDs, stickers, and marijuana paraphernalia. The bar was surrounded by men and women in the freshest streetwear, high-end snapback hats, and clean sneakers.
The post-Dodgers opening day traffic made my drive from DTLA to Mid-City a little hectic, so I was late to the show and missed a few of the opening acts. As I got settled, Reezy was on stage performing songs from his latest release – BLVD Volume 2. The opener vibes were in full effect as the crowd was unfamiliar with the trappy-sounding beats.
Reezy’s microphone levels did not match his backing tracks, so I couldn’t hear the braggadocious lyrics that accompanied his bass-ridden music. His stage presence was that of an entertainer who was too cool for school, or maybe the lack of crowd enthusiasm created his lack of energy. Hopefully, this was just the prelude tour show jitters. He has the potential to gain fans with his music, I hope other cities treat him with more respect than the stereotypical superficial LA hip-hop fans.
After a brief DJ switch, I could sense a positive shift in the overall energy of the night. In less than a minute Demrick hopped on the speakers and slapped hands with fans in the front row.
Demrick has the stage presence of a star, his time supporting Xzibit & B-Real could be the reason for his calm and collected aura during his performance. I was astonished when I realized Demrick performed 2 full songs with a drink in hand (without spilling a drop).
I was impressed by the call and response effort from Demrick, the crowd was actively engaged. It wasn’t long before he grabbed a fan’s phone and rapped some of his verse in a selfie-video style, then passed it back to its joyous owner. This type of work ethic should be respected and applauded.
Before I knew it, Demrick thanked the fans and exited the stage to roar from the crowd. I looked at my watch, and realized his 30 minute set flew by. If he didn’t gain any new fans, I’d be surprised.
The flow of the night was not broken up, Jarren Benton was front and center directly after Demrick’s exit. Benton brought a rock star stature to the lineup, wearing a black Supreme varsity jacket, skinny jeans, trucker hat, and sunglasses.
Benton’s stage show was filled with heavy crowd interaction; he invited fans to stage dive. He even saw DJ Hoppa in the audience and called him to the stage to get the props Hoppa rightfully deserves. The only negative about Benton’s show was the sound setup, I could hardly make out his vocals – which meant Catch One should invest in a better sound technician.
A quick midnight intermission ended when the headliner, Dizzy Wright, joined in the night’s festivities. Draped in an iconic Dickies Eisenhower jacket, black-and-white windowpane plaid pants, Wright looked every part of a Los Angeles local. His two-step dance to the stage was met with applause and camera flashes.
Wright’s hour-long set included hits like “Killem with Kindness”, “Roll My Weed”, “Still Movin”, and “Hotel Stripper”. Bringing Demrick & Jarren Benton back on stage to perform their respective tracks made the event feel like a family affair.
For most of the show, Wright performed tracks from his latest album, Live at Daddy Macs (fully produced by 3 Ninjas a.k.a. Mike & Keys and MyGuyMars).The album officially released at the same time as Wright debuted the tracks live. “You Get What You See”, “Willing & Ready” and “Get Out My Business” were a few highlights from his performance.
This new album has all the Los Angeles signature sounds and vibes – it’s definitely worth adding to your next beachside drive. There was a moment in his set where Wright proclaimed his gratitude for this highlight moment.
Tonight’s show was the beginning of a multi-city tour that will stop within every state on the west coast. If you enjoy high-level raps, smooth but hard-hitting beats, and an appreciation for weed, I highly suggest you check Dizzy Wright & friends. Tickets are available on Wright’s website.
