Electric Brixton Live: Mick Jenkins (16th March)

Mick Jenkins has been someone I have been following since The Water[s], released back in 2014. With his smooth delivery and introspective lyricism, the Chicago-based rapper has impressed with his releases, with a decent debut album in The Healing Component, released in 2016. It was an album containing some of my favourite songs of his, such as lead single “Drowning” with BADBADNOTGOOD. It was a bit of a lengthy release though, and I didn’t find it to be as cohesive as his previous project was. In 2018, he released Pieces of a Man, an introspective and reflective project many consider his best to date. For some reason, I didn’t like the album as much as I anticipated, maybe it was the mood I was in at the time. I was invited by Brick London to attend his gig at Electric Brixton on the 16th March, and I was eager what kind of show he would put on.

The answer is a resounding YES in regards to the quality of the live performance. It was a soulful and laid back mood all the way through, with Mick Jenkins rapping with confidence, really owning the stage around him. His band provided a smooth, soulful and funky backdrop, enabling the Chicago-based rapper to speak his shit. He was relateable, genuine, honest and brought an energy that seemed to resonate with everyone around me at the show. People were singing his songs, rapping every word. He played a lot of records from Pieces of a Man, and a few from The Water[s], encouraging everyone to scream “DRINK MORE WATER,” which was one of the themes of that record. Overall, it was a stellar show that made me want to go back home and digest his albums again. Thanks Mick Jenkins for the experience and thank you Brick London for the invite to the show!

You can listen to Mick Jenkins’ Pieces of a Man below via Spotify and don’t forget to support!