(Images above taken from their respective Instagram accounts. The remaining were taken by me.)
While all members of the Minnesota collective thestand4rd did not make it down to SXSW this year, members Allan Kingdom and Bobby Raps represented the four piece in style. They had multiple shows in Austin last week and I was fortunate enough to catch both of them in the same day.
Rapper/producer Bobby Raps soundtracked the rainfall with an afternoon beat set at La Barbecue. I drank free beer and Bobby wore a pink outfit from a different decade, originally made for “Kim.” He sipped a 40 from out of the brown bag and smoked a blunt like a boss while some of the spaciest beats blasted out into Texas. DJ tiiiiiiiiip (with 10 i's, 9 of which are silent) rocked 84 chains and blended Bobby's tracks perfectly.
I spoke with them briefly after the show, saying how I was looking forward to catching Allan Kingdom's set, which tiiiiiiiiiip was also DJing. They said they were heading that way, that they were running late. I looked down at my watch and realized I was running late as well. Sprinting out into the rain and catching a pedicab, I hustled to the iconic Moody Theater to see some more Minnesota music.
I entered the massive theater, one of the biggest venues in Austin (especially when most SXSW showcases take place in garages and closets); it's where Austin City Limits takes place and countless other concerts throughout the year. The night was to be headlined by J. Cole and Kingdom was going to provide the warm-up (Get it? Warm-up? Like the J. Cole mixtape?).
With mastermind Plain Pat (who produced Kingdom's “Blast” as well as a large part of his debut EP Future Memoirs) on stage and workaholic/fellow Minnesota DJ tiiiiiiiiip behind the boards, Allan Kingdom gave a great performance. He played “Wavey” and the crowd swayed; he played “Evergreens” and the crowd bounced; he brought out Kevin Abstract for "Already" and the crowd danced; he brought out Bobby Raps in his pink jumpsuit and the crowd could barely contain the cool.
Kingdom closed his 30 minute set with back to back heat: the undeniably catchy “Blast” and the Kanye's stadium status single “All Day.” Rather than simply singing his chorus to the massive hit, Kingdom introduced it with a spoken word verse that progressed into the chorus perfectly. Before I knew it, the set was over and I had to find another show to keep the momentum alive.
On top of snapping some photos during the show, I was fortunate enough to ask Allan Kingdom a few questions about his first time down at SXSW. Read below while listening to the numerous links scattered throughout.
How was your first SXSW experience?
Beautiful. Everything was so seamless. I was involved in a total of six shows so there was no time to even worry, I just had to go with the flow. It was great cause I went in not really giving a care and being free and feeding off the people's energy. I usually plan extra for each live show.
Is it what you expected?
More than what I expected but maybe cause that’s just how I am. I always look at the good side of things. It was my first time as you stated before so all I had to go off of was other people's word. As long as I’m busy, I’m pretty much content.
Any shows that you saw outside of your own that impressed?
Yeah all the homies that I got to see killed it. Michael Christmas, Cousin Stizz, Kevin Abstract, Bobby Raps also Rae Sremmurd's energy on stage is crazy.
Are you going to be spending some time in Minnesota now or are you traveling elsewhere?
I’m traveling elsewhere but I don't know all where yet. Things just pop up super random for me now. I just go where I’m supposed to [laughs].
What's the rest of the year looking like for you?
Music, shows, creating, performing, practicing, meeting people, traveling. Everything I love to do with no other obligations. Really excited for this year. Especially to release more material.
Is it hard to choose what to perform when you only have 15-30 minutes?
Yeah, but once I get to the show and get close to the day I can feel out the energy and figure out what music would fit best. It’s almost harder to choose what to perform when I have an hour.
Any final words/thoughts/shout-outs?
Shout out everyone I shook hands with down at South By and all my homies that I’ve gotten to connect with online or in person. I appreciate all the love. Shout-out Phony PPL, Elliot Wilson, The Sour Patch Kids team, Big homie AK, Denzel Curry, Tunji Ige, Kevin Abstract, Brockhampton, Michael Christmas, Cousin Stizz, Fat Nick, Pouya, Yung Simmie, Cozz, IamSu, Casey Veggies, Marvel Alexander, Rome Fortune, and Hippo Campus! If I missed anyone shout to you cause I’ma remember later and feel dumb!
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Events, Music
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thestand4rd, Bobby Raps, Allan Kingdom, DJ tiiiiiiiiiip, Minnesota, sxsw, concert, showcase, recap, interview, Profile, Feature, exclusive