This past Friday, we caught Stalley’s St. Louis debut at the Gramophone, presented by Made Monarchs.
Known for showcasing his lyrical prowess and a beard of epic proportions, Ohio native Stalley rhymed effortlessly over bass heavy production Friday night and the Gramophone. The recent addition to the Maybach Music family displayed crisp, deliberate rhymes to an adoring crowd of hip hop heads. >> – Jen Everett
photos by Jen Everett
Eleven writer Tara Mahadevan shares:
I’ve never been to The Gramophone, nor have I been to a a hip-hop show in St. Louis—Stalley’s show at The Gramophone on July 29 was a killing-two-birds-with-one-stone deal for me. I have to say that it was a brilliant introduction, allowing me to sample multiple styles of St. Louis hip-hop, first with WilliamH, then Chalk Boyz, MVP, Whiteout and RT-FAQ. All these boys did Stalley justice; and when Stalley finally came out, everyone was roaring.
I admit that I didn’t know much of Stalley’s music before the show, but knowing wasn’t a necessity. The air was buzzing with excitement and elation, and this was enough for me. Not to mention seeing the humble Stalley himself—and when I say humble, I truly mean it.
Seeing Stalley for the first time, you are immediately struck by his long beard (it seems to be his ‘signature look’); his tattoos; his fitted hat covered in pins. Stalley is unassuming—he certainly doesn’t have an in-your-face type of personality; however, he isn’t someone to ignore. His humbleness combined with his music samples and rapping style, put a fresh spin on his particular brand of hip-hop. He was tremendously thankful, showing gratitude for his crowd between songs. Stalley’s music and personality is saturated with truth, and Stalley’s fans reflected this truth, rocking as he rocked with it; singing as he sang.
However, be sure to remember that Stalley isn’t from St. Louis. He’s Ohio-born and -raised—from Massillon to be exact. He constantly reps Massillon in his music, using the area code 330 as an identifier. His website is www.stalley330.com; one of his songs (which he was sure to play at the show) is titled 330. I’d say that his hometown love is not a concept unbeknownst to St. Louisans, as we are all proud of our 314 area code. Stalley undoubtedly fit right in.
All in a night’s work, STL.
