REVIEW | EARTHGANG HOPE FOR 'NO MORE BAD KARMA' WITH THEIR VIBRANT PERFORMANCES

In an era of social and political uncertainty, music that can connect is needed more than ever. EarthGang manage to bring just that with their soul-touching sounds.

Last week, I Am Hip Hop has the pleasure of experiencing a night of vibrancy as the Atlanta based outfit performed at the Electric in Brixton. The pair have been making a name for themselves recently following a decade of breaking through.

The group’s major label debut, Mirrorland was released under Spillage Village/Dreamville last month. The artists didn’t waste time in sharing sounds from the project. As the lights went low, the crowd waited in anticipation to hear some hip hop-soul fusion. When the lights came back on, there was a huge ovation as EarthGang performed the LP’s intro track, LaLa Challenge.

This track perfectly summarised the duo’s balanced ability to rap and sing at different tones and tempos. The performance started at a relaxed pace before the beat switched up and the fast-paced raps came in. The audience went crazy with the change, causing the party to officially start.

The frenzy continued with EarthGang’s rendition of album track, Top Down. Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot went back and forth with their flows before bringing the tempo down once again. Proud Of U was the perfect song to connect with the crowd on a more emotional level.

I’ve been through the darkness and through the bleak

You done held my heart each and every beat

And checked on me when I ain’t wanna eat

And held me tight when the game on tweak, yeah

The contemplation continued with the introduction of This Side. This song is full of tranquility with a smooth beat and analytical themes. Despite the relaxed tone of the delivery, there was an underlying sombreness in the lyrics.

We can escape

We can leave this place

They took Nip, took X

Just a hatin’ ass nigga, hope that I ain’t next

The pair showed their versatility while performing the next track, Swivel. This song resembles a darker mood, with a boom bap soundtrack. The bars are much more hard-hitting here with the pair talking of painful experiences.

Run up on you any minute, you’ll be gone

I know niggas dead out of desperation

RIP my nigga Alan, damn, I wish you would’ve stayed at home

Learned to make the best out of shitty situation

No complaining, no more Xan, I leave the medicine alone

EarthGang really showed their ability to take album tracks to the next level through live performances. Each song was performed with high energy, no matter what the style was. This is something that the pair never fail to do. Their recent COLORS performance is a huge example of how they can enhance their music.

The musicians push the motto of ‘No More Bad Karma’ a line that is mentioned in their 2017 single, Robots. Subsequently, the content from their latest project implies that they are looking to use their music to strongly connect with others.

With Mirrorland being EarthGang’s major label debut, the group looked like naturals on the big stage. There is no doubt that these artists have been putting the work in over the years to get where they are now. Creating alongside Dreamville their counterparts such as J. Cole, J.I.D, Ari Lennox, and Bas, will contribute to EarthGangs rising journey.