Atmosphere with Brother Ali – Powerstation February 25, 2017

If I am fortunate enough to have any regular readers of my work, they will know that I have a long-standing appreciation of hip-hop and rap. My love, on reflection seems to have few bounds, stretching from G-Funk, Boom-Bap and Gangsta, through to politically conscious, avant-garde or a smidge of underground club hip-hop. If the beats are dope and the flows are dexterously delivered or the messages within them are thought-provoking, chances are I will like it.
Having such a wide appreciation of hip hop as a woman has led to a myriad of different live experiences, depending on the subgenre I happen to be watching at the time. This is in part due to each microcosm having its own rules around performance and the definition of swagger. Some of it has led to uncomfortable experiences where words outside of performance have got in the way of true artistry, while others have simultaneously uplifted and riled against the world.

Last night’s Brother Ali and Atmosphere double bill proved to be the latter. After walking in Pride, my boyfriend and I turned up to the Powerstation in full rainbow regalia, his beard still glittered, my face still studded with rhinestones and a flower crown atop my head, and found ourselves engulfed in one of the most positive crowds we had ever been in.

Brother Ali spread nothing but love, tolerance and acceptance, undercut by a fierce dissatisfaction with American politics and social injustice. With all the passion of a southern preacher, he railed against war in United Snakes and  Mourning in America with lines “when innocent people perish it’s a very thin line between a soldier and a terrorist,” while Babygirl captures a conversation with a sexual assault survivor with gobsmacking grace and compassion to create a moment that was truly moving with the lines “We don’t see victims, we see survivors, our sisters are survivors.”

Atmosphere’s polar opposite stage presence acted as a brilliant counterpoint, and the differing styles but similar lyrical content added to the texture of the evening. Slug’s erratic bizarre banter in between songs added some humour, and his keening brash delivery juxtaposed against his introspective lyrics well. Brother Ali joined Atmosphere onstage multiple times throughout the show, and their chemistry was obvious, especially when the pair swapped freestyles at the end of the night. Thematically, it should be noted that both artists are bound by self-acceptance within their lyrics.

A fantastic display of artistry, atmosphere, and compassion.

Kate Powell

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