ILOVEMAKONNEN at the Hoxton, Thursday, January 14. Rating: NN
There are flashes of weirdness in Atlanta singer/rapper iLoveMakonnen’s music, which veers between standard-issue trap-rap bangers and solemn, warbly synth-pop ballads in the vein of left-field crooner Fetty Wap.
The latter (and more interesting) side of iLoveMakonnen, who last year released a second EP for Drake’s OVO Sound label, was almost entirely suppressed during his hour-long performance at the Hoxton. Instead, the 26-year-old spent most of the set jumping around to club jams like 21st Street, I Don’t Sell Molly No More, Flippin All Night, Whip It and breakout single Tuesday.
A lot of the songs were bass-reliant, and his basic rhyme schemes and simple hooks felt more suited to a playful pop treatment than a hard-hitting hip-hop one. His manic and shouty delivery was clearly designed to rev up the crowd, but it also flattened any melodic diversity into monotone sameness.
And during the one moment of unabashed pop ballad indulgence – Slow It Down – his voice was eclipsed by a backing track.
kevinr@nowtoronto.com | @kevinritchie
