On The Scene: Temple 09-12-2012

To finish off my three-night stand with Temple, I headed over on a slow Sunday to check out New York City rapper Heems, fresh off his breakup with Das Racist, along with label mate Lakutis. Having been a huge fan of Das Racist’s unique rap hipster, referencing satirist style, and just generally in need a some old school hip hop, making my way over to Gulou was indeed no issue. It was expected the turnout tonight was going to be low – it’s Sunday, it’s cold. However, this didn’t stop the awkward situation at hand – a posse (I’m guessing tagging along for the tour) that desperately, aggressively, and uncomfortably were trying to rile up the mainly sitting crowd, full of hipster and hip hop fanatics. They meant well – but seriously, wrong technique kids, wrong technique. Nevertheless, Lakutis and Heems put sarcastic-heavy set full of clever wordplay, lazy flow, and all out hooliganism, which I found equally delightful and surreal.

Lakutis began his set by giving us a song about his father – and then proceeded to declare, “Dennis Quaid, you bitch” for one minute straight – this pretty much set the scene for what to expect. Hell, he’s the song he was requested to play at the end.

Ridiculous? Yeah. Entertaining? Better believe it. I’m not sure really how one is suppose to perceive something like this – but there’s such a wink of the eye in his performance that it’s hard not to laugh a little.

And this song was supposed to only be vaguely about 9/11. Heck, anyone who can reference Home Alone and All Dogs Go To Heaven in the same song gets the seal of approval in my book.

While things looked grim for Heems, crowdwise, the audience did eventually get up and moving to hear the Queens raised wiseass clown.

Heems isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure. There’s contempt inherent throughout his rhyming – some might claim its pure laziness or perhaps he was enjoying a bit much some of that amazing smelling ganja (one of these is true) – but really, it’s a calculated lack of singing suave. An acquired taste for sure but fucked-uply endearing.

The man is clearing having some fun, and lyrically Heems has always been at the top of his game, rolling nonsense and bitter satire into one. Taking the piss out of everything whilst taking a piss himself – it’s a tight line that rap of this sort walks but Heems seems just fine up there.

Though the reason why anyone would think this would somehow translate into a successful Asia tour is beyond me. All apart of the joke I suppose.