Review: Joey Bada$$ at Metropolis Fremantle

Wednesday, January 4, 2023
w/ Flewnt, Powers Pleasant

Joey Bada$$ kicked off his Australian tour at Metropolis Fremantle on Wednesday night. His performance was an electrifying reminder of how deeply hip-hop has rooted itself in culture and particularly youth culture. The crowd turn out was huge, filling the three-story club with 20-somethings who all seemed to know the lyrics to each song.

The first opening act was Flewnt from Perth's Downsyde. Witnessing the enthusiasm for the local rapper, who has been producing since 1996, quickly established a sense of camaraderie within the hip-hop scene for performers and fans alike. Summer Time Flow featuring Tami Walker was a real crowd pleaser and set the tone for a sweaty and fun summer night.

In between sets the crowd chanted “Joey! Joey!” Yet Bada$$'s tour DJ, Powers Pleasant, got us grooving and calmed any restlessness before big J.B hit the stage. Pleasant introduced himself with a hearty “Perth, what the fuck is up!?” then proceeded to mix an efficacious medley of hip-hop that included Kendrick Lamar's Alright, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, and Travis Scott's Goosebumps. The DJ also performed one of his own songs Pull Up from 2019, and threw in Kid Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness which kept the nostalgia high in a pleasant precursor to Joey Bada$$'s evocative show.

Anticipation hung in the air like smoke from the smoke machines and a few sneaky herbal cigarettes (would it really be a hip-hop gig without someone sparking a joint?). The crowd chanted with even more gusto “Joey fucking Badass” while music built up in the background. Powers Pleasant stepped back from centre stage to DJ and participate in backing vocals. Looking every inch the Brooklyn rapper in a New York cap, tracksuit, and gold chains, Joey Bada$$ leans into the 90s aesthetically and musically. It makes sense that it was named the 1999/2000 world tour (and kind of scary that we're already looking back at the early noughties with rose-tinted glasses).

Bada$$’s music harks back to a golden era in hip-hop known for being authentic, gritty and poetic. Rap groups such as Wu Tang and Nas have certainly influenced the East coast artist. His songs are stylistically simplistic yet provocative, with 808 sounds and lyrics that balance tenacity with idealism. Whilst some lyrical content such as Porsches and hood living may be difficult to relate to, he also shows vulnerability throughout his progressive rap, traversing ballad-esque songs such as Show Me and Love is Only a Feeling from his 2017 album Too Lit. Joey Bada$$ continued to move the crowd from energised to mellow with a rendition of Roy Ayres’ Everybody Loves the Sunshine. His stage presence was excellent and he exclaimed to the crowd, “balcony people, you’re not invisible, I can see every last one of y’all.”

Joey Bada$$ at Metros Freo was an invigorating and well-balanced performance from an artist that is sure to be creating future hip-hop classics.

KYRA SHENNAN

Photos by Eloise Coomber