Grammy-nominated new school hip-hop icon Smino finished his national “Kountry Kousins Tour” in his hometown Sunday night at the St. Louis Music Park. The music pavilion slowly filled with a sea of men in white tees and ladies in crop tops and oversized denim capri pants, matching Smino’s laid back aesthetic.
He brought two hours of high energy, an exhilarating light show and a strong live band on a set that resembled a St. Louis front porch. There was a door in the center, a rocking chair to the left and grass covering the mic stand. Another common place element was a blue barrel grill that cleverly doubled as the DJ booth. These features made us feel right at home – not as fans but family – as the audience waited for their “Kountry Kousin” to make his appearance.
Each song he performed told a life story, from his first talent show to his Grammy nominated success. The set moved in a manner that helped the audience get closer to the artist and deepened the family connection. Though internationally renowned, Smino still carries a laid back, homegrown energy. He also makes room for emerging talented young artists, like Mamii, who opened the show.
Mamii, certain to soon be a household name, has worked with artists like Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. She is a self-taught engineer who has just won a Grammy for her work on MY ROSE and FLAMENCO, two songs from Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album. Now she is in front of the mic singing her own music.
Her set for Smino started with “Creepin,” and continued with “Guard Your Love” from her recent EP.
Though many were unfamiliar with her music, she still gave a high energy performance. She danced and skipped around the stage, singing her lyrics as if we were screaming them right back to her. She then moved to “Nonchalant,” which featured her singing while playing the guitar. Her set ended with “[Expletive] You Up,” an upbeat mix of rock and hip-hop that set the tone for the following act.
Samara Cyn’s sound was a mix of Dej Loaf and Doja Cat over a Tyler The Creator beat. She began with her “massa freestyle,” rapping casually while sitting on the porch. For “Sinner,” she left the porch to rap closer to the audience. She even got them to throw their hands in the air. “Katana,” an old school, B-boy style tune driven by a bass guitar, made everyone want to dance. She performed a few more of her popular tunes, like “Moving Day.” She finished with “100 Square Feet” before she introduced headliner Smino.
He came out of the front door singing “No Ls” in baggy jean shorts, white sneakers, and a yellow and blue ERL Venice 76 Football Jersey. Mamii joined him to sing backup. He sang the opening lyrics, “Knock Knocking, Loud knocking at your door”, while exiting the front door and the crowd went crazy. He finished the song on the porch, and stopped to acknowledge his cousins mixing on the grill. He then shifted into “KLINK.” Smino left the porch to dance alongside the screaming crowd. He performed the high energy song and jumped up and down with the crowd.
The concert recalibrated with the mellow tune, “Tequan” – which features Caribbean artist Chronixx. He rapped this song standing at the grassy mic, as the lights overhead complimented the melody of the bass guitar. Next was “90 Proof,” a song with over seven million views on YouTube. He sang the opening chorus then cut the music to hear the fans filling the silence with the remainder of the lyrics.
The energy spiked again with “Matinee,” and once more he slowed things down. This time it was something for his “day 0s.” He took a seat in the rocking chair and performed “Smi Myself & I.” The vibe from the song about his hometown was as if he were talking to friends on the porch. Keeping in pace he then performed “Fronto Isley,” a song that samples “For the Love of You” by The Isley Brothers. Soft red lights danced over the crowd while he performed the groovy song. He sang and rapped – which demonstrated his new school versatility.
“Backstage Pass,” a song that features his signature rap style but over a rock style beat, ramped the crowd back up again. The strobes overhead pulsed along with the percussion while blue lights cascaded and illuminated Smino as he danced. The bridge was marked with a solo from the electric guitar that was followed by four large, inflatable soccer balls that were released into the audience and bobbed through the crowd as the song continued.
They stayed in the air as he performed “Maybe In Nirvana,” “Dear Fren,” “Pro Freak” and more from his discography. He ended with “Z4L,” a down to earth song that talks about living life in a white tee.
Though he has found success with his music career, with his latest hometown show, Smino shows us that he will never become a superficial artist. He is one of our Kountry Kousins who just so happens to have fans all across the globe – fans who are inspired by his new school rap and laid back personality.