This past Saturday marked the fourth ObSceNE: Open Mic event at Arch 16 Café, Gateshead. The event invites artists and amateurs alike to pick up the mic and spit bars whilst the North East hip-hop community comes together for a drink and a chill.
It was clear after being at the second instalment of the monthly event that two months later it had only grown in scope and popularity. With more people than ever wanting to grab the mic and hip-hop heads coming from far and wide spilling onto the streets of Gateshead, it was another night to remember.
As we reviewed the second ObSceNE (you can find the review here with more details about the nature of the event), we decided to mix it up a bit with this one. Everyone that picked up the mic deserves a massive amount of respect, because they all make the event what it is. However, we’ve picked five performers (in no particular order) that stood out to us on the night and explained why we thought they deserved a mention.
Eum
After seeing Eum, AKA Jack Musson, at the second open mic event he stood out as a young guy with a point to prove. First on the mic on both occasions, Eum doesn’t strike you as your stereotypical rapper, but you’d be wrong to judge a book by its cover. With somewhat graphic lyrics and aggressive delivery, it’s undeniable that with a bit of refining this youngster might have something.
E-Mence
With RIDE being relatively new to the NE hip-hop scene we had no idea of this MC’s history within the scene, but after seeing him perform he stood out a huge amount as an artist that could easily find his way on to larger stages. We’re happy to hear that he’s back and soon releasing a new album. One to watch without a doubt.
Max Gavins
Performing a couple of tracks from his new (and long awaited) album ‘1994’, Max brought quality with bars and melodies, a welcome break from straight up spitting. Keep an eye out for an interview with Max coming soon; speaking on his past in the battle rap scene and his current musical direction.
J-Man
Performing some older material with the help of Rex Regis and giving us some new material, J-Man brings an air of positivity and level headedness with him when he picks up the mic. He’s passionate about the scene and it shows through his music.
John Dole
A first-time performer at ObSceNE. John Dole raised the energy tenfold when he picked up the mic, aided by a drunken friend turned hype man shouting ‘ay’ every second bar. The performance was fun, high energy and most importantly, it was well delivered.
Once again a massive shoutout to everyone that picked up the mic, at the end of the day you all keep this unique event going. Props to guest host ZICO MC and DJ 90Bro for keeping the night running as smooth as possible.
Keep an eye on Hash Rotten Hippo’s page for the latest NE hip-hop and ObSceNE news
RIDE MUSIC 