Fresh off a spectacular 2019 BET award performance and a spot on the 2019 XXL Freshman List Cover – YBN Cordae has slowly yet surely been cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever do it in hip-hop. Renowned Toronto promoter “Embrace Presents” proved to continue hosting the right concerts at the perfect timing as they hosted a very impressive YBN Cordae show at Toronto’s very own Mod Club Theatre. The 21-year-old Maryland native is a very intriguing artist and this performance holistically demonstrated Cordae’s talent while validating the recent successes he has had.
The performance started with a hooded Cordae faced away from the audience – further developing this narrative of intrigue and mystery around him – gradually building up anticipation, then turning around to face the crowd dramatically. This effectively got the restless crowd in sync and ready for the experience to come. After setting the tone of the audience, Cordae went about his set with finesse and high energy. Simultaneously, Cordae made a strong effort to connect with the audience on an interpersonal level by frequently taking breaks in between his set to speak to the crowd and talk about his feelings being on stage. Noteworthy moments of him doing this include (1) him inviting a fan on stage just to have a conversation with him and (2) him speaking about his thoughts on Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship win. Ultimately, this made the crowd feel very interconnected with Cordae and in utmost unison, enjoying the show to a much higher extent. This created a friendly family-like atmosphere in the concert which is something that made the show stand out. Accentuating this, Cordae even called the crowd one entire family that was coming together to enjoy this performance.
Stand out moments form Cordae’s set include his first ever performance of his song “Bad Idea” with Chance The Rapper, previewing unreleased music from his upcoming debut album, and ending his set with hard-hitter “Kung-Fu” whilst jumping straight into the crowd.
Cordae’s music is a mixture of traditional introspective lyrical rap music, and more modern trap-infused melodic tracks. This is an ode to the place that YBN Cordae embodies in hip-hop as he is seen as the “generational-bridge”. He is born in an era of hip-hop where lyricism and bar-for-bar rapping is often overshadowed by said trap-infused melodies. However, as Cordae effectively delivers in regard to both of the generational sounds, he is a once in a lifetime talent. Furthermore, Cordae resents those that deem the unconventional modern sound as low-standard, as he believes that hip-hop should not discourage any form of artistry. Holding this belief, while being able to deliver in “conventional: hip-hop” proves why YBN Cordae is indeed bridging the rap gap. This translates to the stage in the sense that fans are experiencing a concert of sheer versatility. The simultaneous switch of different types of hip-hop provide fans something akin to a 2-in-1 experience. This also allows for fans that prefer either type of hip-hop to be appeased all the same.
Ultimately, YBN Cordae is an artist of top-tier caliber who is constantly growing. Co-signs from aforementioned Chance The Rapper along with Dr. Dre show why he is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. The next time that Cordae arrives in Toronto, it will undoubtedly be at a larger venue, therefore, this experience was truly one to not miss.
Embrace Presents has a very impressive summer line up for concerts in Toronto with previous show Pink Sweat$ and upcoming shows Night Lovell + many more. Check out more information on their upcoming events here.
Connect with YBN Cordae on his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
