Story and Photos: Spencer Fleming
Once again Nice Enough Entertainment delivered a solid lineup of local talent at the Mayflowers showcase Thursday night (5/11). For only $15 at the door fans were treated to performances from Dion Cobbs, B Positive, BleezyG, Owduvit, Smook Pearson, Kyng Kryme, Verze the Ape King, and Jay-Boi. Of course we can't forget the legendary Surreal The MC on the 1s and 2s! Shout out to C10 for hosting and Justin Strawstone for promotions and the all around nice guy vibes.
It's a crazy busy weekend around here so I'm just gonna touch on the highlights.
Surreal and C10 hosting and pumping the jams.
Dion Cobbs was up first. I caught Dion a few weeks ago when he did a guest spot with Forest and together they killed it. This time Forest joined Dion for a guest spot along with a friend who came in from South Dakota! Only minutes into Dion's set and he had the crowd chanting along and super hyped. Dion did a couple songs solo, including a spoken word piece that was deeply personal. It's just my personal take but it sounded like he was relating to his father and possible struggles he faced growing up. The crowd cheered in appreciation for his vulnerability. Forest and Dion ended on a lighter note with Forest donning a wig for a skit-type song about a made up relationship in trouble. It was a crazy moment but it got the crowd riled up. Check out Dion Cobbs on all streaming platforms!
Next up was Owduvit. He rapped about a variety of topics like partying and blowing smoke, but he had Reese's pieces socks so bonus points there. I enjoyed Owduvit's spirit and his outlook of "I'm in my forties but I'll never give up hip-hop". He's a guy who knows what his passion is and that's pretty cool.
After Owduvit was B Positive. The name says it all! Fun, energetic songs that brought the good vibes. B Positive had a lot of crowd support, including Race Coakley. I see you out there. Check out B Positive on all streaming platforms and at the upcoming Power and Progress Festival on June 3!
Next up was BleezyG. He had a bouncy pop feel and the crowd was rocking with their hands in the air! You can find BleezyG on all streaming platforms and Facebook!
After BleezyG came Jay-Boi who had a backup singer A Mone' and a guitarist! All of the artists on the bill did a great job, but when I remember this show, Jay-Boi will be the first thing I think of. This guy took the energy to the next level and had the room going absolutely wild.
Jay Boi is a natural entertainer and speaks from the heart. The positivity radiating from his music is undeniable. There were so many awesome moments from this set. He brought up Forest and Dion to guest on the song "Changes", the soulful harmonies could bring a tear to your eye. For the last song Jay-Boi had lyric sheets to hand out to the crowd. What a genius idea! I still remember the hook of "C Class, Candy Paint, Ice Cream!"
To top it all off Jay-Boi had a raffle for a PS5! Jay-Boi is doing a lot for the community. He has a studio off North 30th street and speaking to some folks in the crowd they said he uses the studio to help kids record music and stay out of trouble. This is the energy we need right now. Shout out to Jay-Boi for putting in work and making a difference!
After Jay-Boi and friends destroyed the stage there were two acts left, Kyng Kryme and Verze thee Ape King.
Kyng Kryme was up first. He has a gritty flow and a southern-gothic storytelling vibe. A lot of his lyrics mention things like growing up poor in the back woods, and hunting to survive. It helps you visualize the lyrics and really paints a picture in your mind. Great job Kyng Kryme!
Last but not least was Verze thee Ape King. Verze kept the energy alive with his hip hop prowess and funky flows. There were several die-hard fans in the front row rocking out and taking pics. Shout out to all those who came out to show support! Verze is on Bandcamp and looking at his Facebook profile I think he has some new tunes on the way. Make sure you check it out so you don't miss it!
Again, shout out to Nice Enough Entertainment and Justin Strawstone for bringing the community together through music. I had an awesome time capturing the show and I hope you enjoyed the results.
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