Hip-Hop and slam dancing are two things the average person would consider antithetical to each other. But for those who’ve been brave enough to attend a concert featuring Brownsville, Brooklyn’s own Mash-Out Posse, fans would tell you not only can slam dancing and Hip-Hop go together, but they blend the perfect street and rock-tinged aesthetic that’s made M.O.P. underground favorites for 15 years.
Atlanta through the Scion free concert series (10/21/08) played host to the fiery duo of Billy Danze and Lil Fame, who were accompanied for the first time in their careers with a live band courtesy of Connie Price and the Keystones.
The use of live instrumentation only served to make M.O.P.’s frenetic, hardcore style more potent, as the crowd started a uncontrollable mosh a few chords into their opening song as “Cold As Ice”. Females who were brave enough to venture to the front gave as good as they got, pushing and elbowing their male brethren in return while everyone yelled in unison the lyrics to M.O.P. anthems “Put In The Air” and “New Jack City.”
Danze and Fame were somewhat awed to get such a strong reception in Atlanta, perhaps forgetting that the A-town of above all a transplant city full of former Tri-State and Philly Hip-Hop fans.
The fire and brimstone performance continued on past midnight, with M.O.P. commandeering the alcohol and cups from the bar and subsequently giving away drinks to everyone in the front rows. The liquor rejuvenated anyone who might have been battered from the moshing, as the venue shaking crowd continued down memory lane with “How About Some Hardcore” and “Downtown Swinga ’96.”
Those who came on board with M.O.P. on their breakout 2000 LP Warriorz were not disappointed, as the duo made sure to sneak in “Calm Down” before the grand finale. Atlanta emcees Killer Mike and Bonecrusher made surprise appearances for the closing “Ante Up,” just to make sure M.O.P. had enough hypemen to blow the roof off the venue.
And they sure did, with some of the security looking highly concerned at the high levels of moshing, but not daring to intervene. Being eight years removed from their last major label release may signify that M.O.P. is done on a mainstream level. But this exceptional performance indicates they can continue to be a viable underground force for as long as they choose.
M.O.P.
“Ante Up: