Words by Santiago C., Photos by Amy Mudagucci

A lot of MIKE’s discography wouldn’t be characterized by its danceability, but that is not to say it isn’t moving. The considerably large crowd at MIKE’s concert were active the entire night, with screams, hands, and smoke filling what minimal gaps remained in the packed air. To my surprise, the first three quarters of the show were extremely lively. MIKE has a very monotone style of rapping with slower East Coast lo-fi beats, but his engagement with an already enthusiastic crowd brought real energy to the show.

From frequently signaling the crowd to shout their loudest when he raised his arm in sync with a beat, to instructing the shyer audience members to do a simple dance he demonstrated for them, MIKE made sure to include the crowd at every moment of the show. It felt like a rapper truly intimate with their audience; who didn’t need to crowd surf or do anything flashy. What I remember most from the show besides the music would be the constant “make some noise” for ‘x’ person. It cannot be overstated how much smothering appreciation he gave to everyone inside the venue. No one was safe: previous performing artists, production, fans, security, merchandise workers, bartenders, and many more. He never missed the opportunity to yell “Free Tigray, Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan” either, with flags on both sides of the stage showing love and solidarity extending outside of the venue.

If he saw this piece, he would probably protest how much it centers on him. The connection MIKE established with the entire crowd elevated the experience to something that couldn’t be achieved from more mainstream rappers talking to massive stadiums full of people who aren’t as unanimously tapped into the culture.

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