Unsung rap hero Danny Brown lights up Montreal
Danny Brown celebrates album Quaranta with North American tour
The avant-garde of hip hop was in full force at Montreal’s Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) building, where experimental Detroit rap artist Danny Brown took the stage.
Brown performed on Oct. 17 as part of his Quaranta ‘24 North American Tour, celebrating his critically acclaimed 2023 album, Quaranta. Released a year ago, Quaranta sees Brown finally peeling back the curtain, offering an intimate look into his growth, pain and progression. Written during the pandemic, it explores a personal side of Brown rarely heard before.
“Someone like Danny deserves a bigger venue,” said Adam Geraldi, a concertgoer and self-proclaimed metalhead.
Though his tastes usually skew toward rock, Geraldi has found himself listening to more hip hop lately. He recognized that the quality of someone’s art can transcend categories like genre, which can sometimes be limiting.
Brown’s one-time collaborator, JPEGMAFIA, or simply JPEG, worked with him on the album Scaring the Hoes. Much like Brown, JPEG is considered a rapper with “cult status.” Both Brown and JPEG are highly influential artists in their own right, despite a lack of mainstream appeal.
Opening the night was Montreal’s own Charles Cozy, a DJ who hyped the crowd with a music selection spanning multiple eras of rap. He drew classics from old-school rappers such as 50 Cent and Jay-Z, and the newer generation including Tyler the Creator and Westside Gunn.
“I was tempted to play some of my favourite Danny tracks, but didn’t want to steal his thunder,” Cozy said.
Cozy finished his set around 9:15 p.m., with Brown beginning his show soon after.
The place was packed by the time the backstage doors opened, and the crowd screamed in anticipation, but soon died down as it was simply Brown’s DJ setting up. Though it didn’t take long for the man himself to show, microphone in hand and ready to go.
The bass in the room was so heavy you could feel it pounding your chest. The crowd became so ecstatic that it started to push the stage fence forward. The light show was a dizzying blend of colours and strobes, while smoke machines plumed the air.
Brown’s beats were eclectic and heavy, his vocal style similar to that of American comedian Micah "Katt" Williams. He sported large astronaut boots, a leather jacket with exaggerated shoulders and a sleek bucket hat―his style is truly his own, except for his Dennis Rodman fluorescent haircut.
Towards the end of his set, Brown had a few announcements to make.
“I’m working hard on this next album,” he said, announcing that a seventh studio album is underway.
The rapper took a moment to sign a few copies of Scaring the Hoes that some fans had brought.
“I love y’all. We’re a family,” he said, to which the crowd cheered.
The night ended with a double encore before Brown exited the stage.
Danny Brown is many things―musician, poet, part-time actor and Dr. Suess fan. But if there’s one thing he’s not, it’s unoriginal.
