You Ain’t Gotta Love Me

I’ll be honest, my Sunday night at the 7th Street Entry wasn’t great, but, luckily for me, I also had the show at the iconic First Avenue mainroom to rely on for a good show, and a good show it surely was. With four acts gracing the stage on Sunday night, I have much to talk about, so let’s jump into it.

Kicking things off was local hip-hop artist, MaLLy. MaLLy (born Malik Watkins) is a staple in the local scene and has been for some time, but Sunday night was my first chance to catch him live. In true Minnesota hip-hop style, MaLLy brought a sense of positivity that radiated off the stage and straight into the packed audience. His flow was on point, and his aura was genuinely charming. Although he was giving the audience an endless stream of energy and fire, there was something oddly cool, calm, and collected about this man and his performance. This led to a cool vibe that was so easy to get lost in but also so easily commanded your attention. Add in little comments he made, like the fact that, although he is only 38, he dances like he’s 72, and you were left with a set that not only thrilled the ears but also gave you a glimpse at this man’s personality, which, like his music, brings such an air of positivity to the spotlight.

Producer Anthony Davis (better known around here as “Ant”) was up next. Although I’ve always found it a bit weird to fit a DJ act in between live performers (okay, I get a DJ is a live performer, but I think you know what I’m trying to say here?), it made sense with this show. Ant is a legend not only here in Minnesota but across the world. Best known as one half of the hip-hop group Atmosphere, Ant is truly a talented kind of guy, and it was so lovely to finally see him be able to take the spotlight he so deserves rather than being behind the super charismatic second half of Atmosphere- Slug. Just like the rappers that performed on Sunday night, Ant’s set had an irresistible flow. From beats straight from Atmosphere tracks to completely foreign yet perfectly curated beats, I felt that Ant’s quick thirty minutes spent on stage were as dynamic as that of a live performer, and that alone goes to show just how talented this man is.

Does the name Dee-1 sound familiar? If you’re a Kendrick Lamar fan, it may. Just a couple of months ago, Kendrick Lamar dropped a new song that has the line “I want to be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1” in it. Although this line meant nothing to me before being introduced to Dee-1 on Sunday night, I get it now that I’ve seen this amazing and inspirational man perform. As soon as Dee-1 took the stage, I was in love. He started off his set by talking about being on this tour with headlining act Brother Ali. He spoke about how different these two men are from their religion, their style, and even the obvious- their skin color. Dee-1 went on to talk about how there are people in the world who don’t understand how a pairing like this could work but how the people coming out to these packed shows are the kind that do see it because they see and feel love. Okay, I’m butchering the speech but, long story short, it was a heck of an introduction to this man and led to a truly amazing set.

Although from Louisiana, Dee-1 has a very Minnesota hip-hop vibe to him. His lyrics are nothing but positive and full of heart, and the way he so eloquently speaks between tracks makes it no surprise that this man is also a teacher at Harvard. Even with all of the accolades that Dee-1 has, there was something raw and vulnerable about his set. Sure, it radiated positivity through and through, but there was this undertone of Dee-1 having something to prove and prove it he did. Dee-1’s discography is extensive, and saying that is an understatement. I’m a hustler. If you know me, you know that I feel like Dee-1 has that same kind of fire, that same-styled soul that I often feel like an outsider because of. Watching this man on this legendary stage doing his thing without any apology was truly a highlight of Sunday night for me.

Headlining the super-uber close-to-sold-out First Avenue show on Sunday night was Rhymesayers member Brother Ali. Out of everyone in Rhymesayers, Brother Ali is definitely one of my favorites (although everyone in the hip-hop collective is amazing). This is because of his honesty and his flow, and, well, he just comes off as such a genuinely kind person. That was in the spotlight from the second he graced the stage on Sunday night and until the very end of the set after he had treated the audience to a lengthy setlist of over twenty hits. From the way he performed every song with an undeniable sense of passion to the way he somehow cut down his storied discography to a perfectly curated list of songs, there was just something so precious and special about his set on Sunday night that, even on Monday morning, I can’t shake.

There was a time when I felt like I was seeing Brother Ali a lot. Not just performing but around town. That stopped a few years ago, and I have always wondered why. It wasn’t until he addressed the audience on Sunday night that I realized he had moved to Istanbul to live with his family for the last few years. Although he clearly has not lost that Minnesota hip-hop style, I feel like you could feel some new influence seep into his set and performance on Sunday night, which was surely from his time spent in Istanbul. Although I hate the fact that I don’t see Ali’s face around town like I once did, I love the fact that he seemed so genuinely happy on stage on Sunday night. It added that extra chutzpah to the performance that really put it over the edge for me as far as a perfect show is concerned.