Nice memories have been made in the illustrious O2 Brixton Academy, and tonight it was Harry Mack’s turn to leave his mark.
I arrived and made my way to the VIP bar, armed myself with a tequila shot and a pint, and proceeded to the main auditorium. The venue was already nicely filled, with the crowd being fully entertained by OMA. Flawless renditions of some of your favourite hip-hop bangers rang out, and the quality of their performance was sensational, setting the perfect energy for Harry Mack to alley-oop a clean body.
Before he came on, an image of his face appeared on screen with QR codes on either side. Being the inquisitive journalist I am, I scanned one. It led to a web page where I could submit a word or topic for him to rap about. After entering it, the site cleverly prompted me to enter my email. A smart move on their part.
His DJ, Jazz, came on stage and hyped up the crowd. After some trippy visuals on the big screen, the camera panned to Harry Mack backstage. He then came out onto the main stage, performing one of his original songs. I remember looking at Shortee Blitz, and we both gave each other a nod of approval for what we were hearing.
After finishing his tracks, Harry spoke about feeling a slight disconnect with the crowd. That quickly changed as he launched into a freestyle session, making his way through the audience.
The crowd interaction was incredible and lasted a solid 10 to 15 minutes. As a high-level freestyler myself, it was a true pleasure to witness someone with that level of skill in action.
Following the walk through the crowd, he moved on to the next section of his show: freestyling random words submitted online, complete with the names of contributors shown on the big screen. It was a brilliant way to involve the audience and make them feel part of the performance. He handled each word effortlessly, proving again how prepared and sharp he was.
Before the show, an online competition had been held, and the winners were given the opportunity to showcase their freestyle skills live. The crowd chose the overall winner – One Take Troy – who got the chance to bless the O2 Brixton stage. He and Harry traded four bars, and credit to Troy, who really represented on the mic.
The final freestyle segment involved even more crowd participation. Three audience members were chosen to give Harry a person or thing, a place, and a dilemma. He then freestyled an entire story incorporating all those elements, complete with a recurring hook. I was genuinely in awe of his ability to stay sharp and deliver a freestyle with structure and substance.
Time flew by, and I was still highly entertained. The set seemed to have reached a strong finish – or so I thought.
Harry and DJ Jazz left the stage, only for a drum kit to be rolled to centre stage. The two returned, this time with Harry behind the kit. And my God, the man can play. He laid down grooves over classic tracks, adding yet another layer to an already unforgettable night.
Mas Law