WERS 88.9 fm - Performance Wrap-Up: Freeway

March 3^rd, 2010

The CD release party for Freeway's first album on Rhymesayers Entertainment, "The Stimulus Package" went off as best it could at The Middle East Downstairs.  With him was Jake One - known as a producer for G Unit - who was deftly cuttin' and scratchin' over his very danceable, sweet soul samples throughout the evening.  Aside from Jake One's skills on the table, the night as a whole was what one could only accurately describe as a hip-hop clusterfuck.  That is not to say it was a terrible show; merely, it was just a haphazardly organized and executed event.

Opening up was supposed to be Re-Surch  - who was your stock-standard local rapper, in terms of lyrical diversity, ability and level of comfort on stage - Heddshotts - a four emcee team who were a bit too abrasive in their delivery for my tastes, although they definitely knew how to write a rhyme - and Termanology - who, after an hour and a half of the crowd essentially taking a boozy nap got them somewhat excited with some complex, spitfire delivery.  However, Leedz Entertainment decided to bring on a few more acts to kill time while Freeway and Jake One got ready/got to the club at all, including a local rapper by the name of Amadeus the Stampede, who turned out to be the best MC present that evening.

As for Freeway's set, I was ultimately disappointed.  Not only was he late to start - creating the need for those random added-on acts  - but he had the nerve to walk on stage in a quasi-slow-motion step, like a king coming before his serfs.  The truth is that, despite some great DJ-ing by Jake One, Freeway just isn't much of a performer.  He rarely moved, he barely deviated from the delivery style on the album and he didn't even seem to give a shit that there were hundreds of people there to see him perform.  He rapped without any energy, held the stage like he was half asleep and in the end left me half asleep.

-Images by Johnny Quinones