Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Lil' Flip, DJ Quik, and Devin The Dude

He’s probably not by any means the closest thing that hip hop has to a household name, either in his native United States or anywhere else for that matter, but that’s not to say that Slim Thug - or Stayve Jerome Thomas, to give him his full name - hasn’t met with some serious success in his career; back in 2005, he dropped his debut album Already Platinum, and whilst the titular prophecy did not ultimately end up coming true - instead, Thug will have a gold disc hanging on his wall at home - the album did enter the U.S. albums chart at an entirely respectable number two, helped in no small part by the collaborations that Thug had been part of on the charts to that point, especially Mike Jones’ ‘Still Tippin’ in late 2004. Since releasing Already Platinum, Thug has made three more solo records, with the latest, Boss Life, dropping late last year. He’s perhaps better known, though, as a member of Boss Hogg Outlaws, with whom he’s served up four full-length albums and toured extensively; Thug’s signature energy and aggressive flow are a huge part of Outlaws’ live shows, and he continues to hit the road with them sporadically today, especially in their native U.S.

Probably Paul Wall’s single most prominent piece of mainstream exposure to date came via Kanye West’s now-classic Late Registration joint ‘Drive Slow’, and in many ways, that’s fitting; Wall’s style of flow and general approach to his rhymes is laid-back, restrained and well measured. It’s actually in stark contrast to his appearance; with his diamond-studded grills adorning his teeth and baggy clothing, he looks more like some kind of millionaire skater kid than a rapper, but that’s just one of the contradictions that makes Wall’s music so intriguing; his deep, casual delivery is one of the most arresting in rap’s recent history. He’s continued to write and record over the past decade, remaining a favourite with the critics, even if his commercial performance hasn’t matched up to that. Last year’s #Checkseason saw Wall debut a dramatic new look, having lost 100lb since 2010; his signature style remains, though. It’s the same when he performs live; he doesn’t bring the same kind of flashy behaviour that so many of his peers do, but he’s so subtly arresting as a performer, it doesn’t matter - he’s one of the most underrated rappers on the live circuit today, with fans waiting with bated breath for a UK return.

Watching a DJ who is multi-talented and can perform self written lyrics, play multiple instruments, and DJ is something very rare. The performance that DJ Quik gave was one like I’d never seen before. He opened the set behind decks, and blasted out a couple of remixes, and some of his own mixes, before moving downstage to the mictophone setup.
He picked up the microphone and opened his vocal set with Pitch In on a Party, which had everyone singing along and dancing straight away. The band behind him were tight, and playing his complex riffs with ease and skill. He played several tracks form both The Book of David, and The Midnight Life, which went down really well. In a live performance, it’s easier to discern the lyrics that the artist is singing, especially being as close as I was to the front. For me, this made the concert even more exciting, enabling me to engage with Quik’s material more easily.
The talent that he showcased was incredible, switching from complicated rhythmic vocals, to the synth , and keys, and occasionally revisiting the turn tables. He was also great at getting the audience going and enthusiastic. He was encouraging everyone to sing along, and even held the microphone out occasionally. It was an epic evening, and I’d love to see him again.

Anybody with an interest in hip hop will know the stage name Devin The Dude. Texan musician Devin Copeland has been active on the circuit since the early 90s and is known for his characteristic rapping style. He has never achieved huge amounts of commerciality yet whenever he rolls into town, any hip hop fan will make sure they have a ticket as he always promise one hell of a show.

Stepping on to stage with an ever changing ensemble of accompanying performers, instrumentalists and apparently friends too who have the best seat in the building. With the likes of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg as named collaborators, the crowd are definitely waiting for an all star appearance yet unfortunately that is not be tonight. Even without one of his famous companions, Devin has no issues in whipping his audience into excited frenzy as he saunters confidently from side to side of stage whilst spitting lyrics in his own unique manner. Closing on 'Somebody's Gotta Do It' to get the whole room jumping along, he leaves in time with his vast entourage.