Photographer and IWTAS contributor Corey Woodruff covered last Thursday night’s show at The Firebird. He shares his words and shots below:

 

The Firebird was a flurry of thundering beats and boozy hip-hop swagger Thursday night as Steddy P and DJ Mahf brought their Lookout Tour to the St. Louis. The STL is Mahf’s home turf of course, but a combination of weeknight scheduling and crummy weather made for a small (yet mighty!) crowd.

Steddy P’s set at Mathias’ recent CD release party was my first exposure to the KC-based artist, and I instantly became a fan. His creative, articulate flow is reminscent of the great Del The Funky Homosapien combined with the quirky subject matter of Lupe Fiasco.

DJ Mahf is a constant collaborator and the perfect foil as he effortlessly slides between his roles as contemporary beat-smith and old-school scratch DJ. Combined, their approach is a formidable example of the evolution of Midwest hip-hop:  creative rhymes over innovative beats, a welcome lack of tiresome hardcore themes like misogyny and violence, and a dedication to a die-hard work ethic.

The sole non-Missouri act on the bill was Prof and DJ Fundo, who both hail from Minneapolis. Prof displayed his local pride with a huge Timberwolves pendant and peppered his eccentric set with a mix of silliness, shots of whiskey and solidly entertaining rhymes. Detroit may be the acknowledged capital of Northern hip-hop by if this talented duo is any indication of the Minnesota scene that may change soon.

One of the more prominent crews in STL hip-hop, Earthworms was represented on the bill by a stellar set by Mathias. The MC stalked the Firebird stage as Mahf and live drummer Grover Stewart ratcheted up the energy level. I was pleased to see Mathias performing a mix of material from his excellent new album “Devils, Pirates and Robots” as well as older material.

St. Louisans J-Bomb and FarOut kicked things off with short but fiery sets , their contrasting styles clear evidence of the diversity in the local hip-hop scene. J-Bomb was all sly smirks and self-deprecating humor as he rapped over what seemed to be improvised beats courtesy of DJ Mahf (who manned the decks for almost the entire night) while Farout’s delivery was much more intense and rapid-fire.

Overall, the night was a welcome showcase of the talent and innovation currently taking place in the local hip-hop scene and I applaud the Firebird for continuing to provide such a diverse mix of shows.

Steddy P and DJ Mahf’s newest release “What Happened Tomorrow” drops on Tuesday, March 15th.