On Friday, The Novo in Downtown LA was crowded with fans excited to see The Underachievers close out their Renaissance Tour, along with Injury Reserve, and Warm Brew. I expected a nothing less than a chaotic scene for the last gig of the tour.
Warm Brew opened up the show. They are a hip-hop group consisting of rappers Ray Wright, Manu Li and Serk Spliff of nearby Venice. This was my first time hearing about Warm Brew, but I had a good feeling that they would not disappoint considering the fact that they’re signed with Dom Kennedy’s label, OPM. The young hip-hop group gave some very westside music scene vibes. Everyone in the audience was vibing with their energy due to the fact that we were in LA. They interacted with the crowd and one them even gave me his beer to hold while he showed his love to the fans.
Up next was, Arizona’s very own Injury Reserve. The group consists of three members, rappers Stepa J. Groggs and Ritchie With a T, and their producer Parker Corey. I was eager to watch these guys perform because I heard good things about their most recent performance at Complexcon in Long Beach.
The crowd was a bit confused because they opened up with a long piano solo. However, that calming sound of the piano transitioned into their very aggressive song “Oh Shit!!!” It wasn’t long enough until the mosh pits broke out within the crowds. The producing of each song was very nasty I would say but in the best way possible. It almost reminded me of Odd Future’s music. Which I wouldn’t be surprised if they were influenced by them. Nonetheless, I truly believe that Injury Reserve deserves major attention. So if you like getting hyped the fuck up, check out their music. You will not regret it.
The rap duo composed of AKTHESAVIOR and Issa Gold, The Underachievers closed things out in style. These two Brooklyn natives know how to turn a crowd up. Shit, the very first song had the crowd going insane. The floor was vibrating throughout the entire show. It almost felt like the floor was going to fall through.
And it went like this for the entire show. Their diehard fans knew every lyric to each song and went crazy whenever they performed older songs such and “Herb Shuttles” and “Gold Soul Theory.” I think it’s safe to say that AK and Issa had a successful tour and definitely ended it on a good note.
Words and photos by Freddy Ayala
WATCH THE UNDERACHIEVERS’ VIDEO FOR “PACKS” BELOW:
