Rising star and shape shifting musician Raury brought his musical talents to U Street Music Hall on April 3. Fellow teenager and local rapper Ace Cosgrove, who performed at AU last fall, opened the show with enthusiasm and youthful vigor that fit right in with Raury’s message. Raury came prepared with the stage presence of a diva and the lyrical content of an activist and a philosopher.
Instead of worrying about the stresses of college, work or real life like most 18 year olds, Raury concerns himself with sold-out venues and massive festivals in Austin, Australia and Los Angeles. He has worked with industry giants like Joey Bada$$ and SBTRKT and even had a collaborative meeting with Kanye last fall.
The Atlanta-based songwriter is building a reputation as the next big thing and knows how to use the Internet to his advantage. Raury’s iconic, wide-brimmed hat is seen all over his Instagram and rarely leaves his head. His overall image makes it clear that he is trying to stand out, but his meaningful lyrics and his ability to hover between genres is enough for him to distinguish himself as one of a kind.
Cosgrove and two other members of the hip-hop group, Hostile Youth, opened for Raury. The local act brought energy, adlibs and dynamism to their hometown crowd.
Cosgrove, a teenage MC from Maryland didn’t even need a stage, spending the majority of the performance crowd surfing or dancing with the concertgoers. He was impulsive, fun and his youthful determination to just let loose and dance paired nicely with his live band featuring an enthusiastic keyboard player and an improvising sax player.
Raury is a difficult artist to categorize in just one genre. From 80’s style rock on “ Chariots of Fire,” to introspective rap on “Woodcrest Manor” to socially conscious protest songs like “Fly,” Raury does it all.
Raury kicked off his set the same way he started his debut album “Indigo Child,” with the song “ War pt. 1.” The song is a continuous repetition of the phrase: “We are together, we are the truth, we are forever, we are the youth.”
A fittingly young crowd hung on every verse and reflected this generational pride. His band of idiosyncratic guitar players fed into the crowds’ vibes and even had a few solos—something not typically seen at hip-hop concerts.
Raury’s performance was much more rehearsed than most rappers. Despite being only 18 years old, there was a stark contrast between the Raury’s well-rehearsed set and the sporadic performance of Cosgrove.
While the performance lacked the same focus on having a good time that Cosgrove conveyed, Raury delivered an exceptional set with the assurance of an already seasoned performer. The Atlanta songwriter’s performance verified his status as up-and-coming musician who wants the world to know who he is and what he stands for.
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