Photo: Press/Eduardo Ponce
Hip hop is very much a genre that has been in crisis recently with a continuous dumbing down of lyrics and content over the last decade. Cue Seattle rapper Grieves, who along with the likes of Joey Bada$$ and Bishop Nehru is part of a new breed of rappers challenging the ideals of the scene.
Last night was Grieves' first UK gig at Oslo in Hackney and safe to say it was pretty special. It’s strange to go see an artist live who has been around as long as Grieves, he comes with a back catalogue of LPs dating back to 2007. Yet this made the small and intimate show even better with a wealth of material to pull from. At the same time for eager fans it was a long awaited opportunity to see a performer who has been absent from these shores for far too long.
The set was comprised firstly of material from new album Winter and the Wolves and then from his previous work on the Rhymesayers label, including a spine tingling update of fan favourite ‘Scar Gardens’. As a performer Grieves is something to behold, on record it’s clear to hear that he is talented, rapping with intense intelligence while at the same time singing his own hooks.
Live it really becomes clear just how good he really is, flipping from singing to rapping sometimes within the same verse, as if there was a switch that could be turned on and off at will. The sound is something that falls within the realm of hip hop but at the same time has a driving power and edge to it that borders on rock, due to the guitar work of the accompanying band.
Listen to 'Scar Gardens' by Grieves below
There was a sense to the performance at the same time with funny banter and musings with the crowd, including a Game of Thrones piano outro. The effect rendered the gig playful like a stand-up show while feeling poignant at the same time.
There is an air of the genuine in his demeanour and his songwriting, which meant that when he said he was glad to be there, he really was and put every ounce of that energy into his performance. In a recent Pitchfork review of new album Winter and the Wolves, there were unfair parrallels drawn to Seattle rapper Macklemore. However Grieves had an answer for the persecution of "gennuine" lyrics, asking the crowd why men aren’t allowed to talk about there feelings in music without being called 'emo'. He then talked of the likes of Marvin Gaye before jumping on a bluesy piano section, proving his point that indeed there is no reason things should be that way.
There was a versatility to the whole performance that was to be admired, he didn’t take himself too seriously creating an undeniable sense of fun. The crowd sung along to every song, sounding much larger than a small venue like Oslo can house and there’s no doubt that there is a hope that Grieves will be back soon.
