[NXNE] Killer Mike @ Wrongbar – June 16, 2012

By the time Killer Mike stepped on stage at the Wrongbar Saturday night, it was impossible not to feel a sense of urgency. After all, even as a twelve-year veteran of the rap scene, this is Killer Mike’s Toronto debut.

Hailing from Atlanta, Killer Mike gained recognition for his affiliation with Outkast, and even won a grammy for his appearance in “The Whole World”. Sadly, he’s never been able to repeat that success on his own. After a slew of underappreciated releases, Mike shifted sounds to a synth heavy production by El-P, and judging by the crowd at the Wrongbar, everything is finally coming into place.

Saturday’s show was a successful marriage of a performer with years of experience coupled with the unbridled enthusiasm that comes with a new sound. Never did it seem like anything was phoned in; in fact it was hard not to notice how appreciative Killer Mike actually was. Performing almost every track from R.A.P Music, as well as selections from his older tapes, and even the aforementioned Outkast track. Not once did he ever miss a beat. Not once was a hook pre-recorded, nor did he stop when it was time for a guest verse. He just went along and rapped it anyway.

After an eruption of sighs from the crowd before his last song of the night, Mike let it slip that he wouldn’t wait so long before coming back. In fact, he announced that his next show is lined up at the Hoxton in just three weeks, where he’ll be performing R.A.P Music in its entirety with producer El-P, and Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire.