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A sold-out show at WashU’s the Gargoyle marked the headlining conclusion of WashU Hip Hop Week, much to the delight of hip-hop fans and b-boys alike. But on a night that held the promise of poetry, there was but one letter of the alphabet that stood out: the letter M.  For opening bands Illphonics and The Paxtons, M stood for ‘mediocre.’  St. Louis locals, Illphonics had the better performance of the two, with their signature medley of styles and influence varying from Pink Floyd to Ludacris.  However, a lackluster performance left little of an impression.  For The Paxtons, there is no such thing as too much constructive criticism, because they have nothing to do but get better.  Partially due to bad levels – an ear-shattering bass among other maladjustments – and generally abrasive vocals (with the possible exception of the harmonious female contribution), their performance was sub-par at best.

On the other hand, the performance by RJD2, the star of the show, could be summed up with an abundance of more favorable M words.  M for magical. It was unreal how the guy could pull beats seemingly out of nowhere, and everything he did was seamless. He set high expectations with his extensive music catalog and an ambitious four turntables at his disposal – but he did not disappoint. M for mesmerizing. I was in awe of how well he mixed his samples on the spot, even with some setbacks by monitor problems early in the show.  M for methodical.  Word on the street is that RJ is a math genius, not hard to believe with the amount of vinyl he went through during his set.  Every move of his was meticulously planned out and executed with the kind of skill that should not go unnoticed.  M for masterful.  RJ knows his tables inside and out.  Like a savant, he creates his art without any hesitation – he just does it. Even with abnormally sub-par sound for WashU’s tiny venue, he was able to make it work.

Finally, M stands for memorable. RJ played a non-stop set for a solid 2 hours that was filled with excitement and creativity. Once he got going, it was a fun night, one that the audience won’t soon forget. Of countless hits, he played a number of fan favorites, and even snuck in some “Don’t Stop Believin’” much to the delight of the crowd.

Overall grade: M+

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