Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist Show the Fillmore the Importance of Community in Underground Hip-Hop
By Hannah Lee
Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist, two renowned and respected figures in the hip-hop scene, set off on their supporting tour for recent collab album, Voir Dire, earlier this month. Being a huge fan of the Alchemist’s versatile production and having loosely followed Earl’s enigmatic career for years, I jumped at the opportunity to cover their show at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, with supporting acts from MIKE and Black Noi$e.
I found myself drawn to Earl Sweatshirt in high school as an introduction to more experimental and alternative hip-hop. If you were in any online hip-hop or skate spaces in the early 2010s, chances are you knew the rap collective group Odd Future and their classic donut logo, which kickstarted Earl’s—and the rest of the members’—careers. However, as the group disbanded and embarked on their separate musical journeys, I was always intrigued by Earl’s incorporation of jazz fusion paired with his dark lyricism. His sound has changed noticeably over the past 10 years as he has shed his adolescent rap persona and tackled newfound personal subjects like fatherhood, grief and mental health. The Alchemist is currently known for his choppy, yet alluring use of classic samples and enticing drumless beats, but also had a much different production sound at the start of his career in the late 1990s and early 2000s as he produced for artists such as Nas, Ghostface Killah and Cypress Hill.
The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt have a long history with each other as artists, running in the same circles and teasing fans for years about a secret album hidden on YouTube. They share similar music journeys in the sense that they both stepped away from a mainstream scene after starting out in the limelight, to nurture a more individual and personal sound. However, as experimental and underground rap have come to the forefront in recent years, they are breaking through the ice together as they tackle this tour.
Voir Dire was first released on Aug. 25 via Gala Music but wasn’t available on streaming services until Oct. 6. While upon first listen it wasn’t necessarily my favorite individual Alchemist or Earl project, I still believed it made for a solid album. The phrase “voir dire” translates to “speak the truth.” While Earl admitted the album name was chosen in part for its visual flow, I think there’s a big truth in the wave of vulnerable storytelling and political lyricism in experimental and instrumental rap.
On Nov. 20, the day of the show, I entered the venue after the opener had already started, assuming we wouldn’t even get a glimpse of Earl until after. To my surprise, there was already a large group on stage featuring all the performers to come, including Earl and some unfamiliar faces nodding along with MIKE’s set in the back. MIKE put on a great performance, showing the audience his capability as a lesser known, yet venerated name in the upcoming rap scene. Though I experienced the show from the upper balcony, the energy was still very much there as I was a few spots away from a dedicated fan who seemed to know each performer’s songs by heart. It was special to be able to see crowd and stage interactions from up above (especially when Earl poked fun at the upper levels for enjoying beef wellingtons during a rap show, which elicited a good laugh from the whole venue).
“I’m not gonna lie I’m off a yerba mate and a joint so I’m ready,” Earl told the crowd once MIKE’s set was over and the Alchemist had introduced himself through showcasing his skills on the DJ mixer and turntable.
Earl and The Alchemist’s set began with fan favorite “E. Coli,” which I recognized instantly from its intro snippet of a Bob Dylan interview and dreamy vocal sampling of “La Prima Volta” by The Lovers. They went on to perform songs off the new album such as “Vin Skully” and “Sentry” and classics off of Earl’s earlier albums such as “Molasses” and “Shattered Dreams.” Earl’s rapping was solid, and layered perfectly over The Alchemist’s beats but I do think he played it safer than the openers performance-wise.
I was blown away by everyone’s magnetic stage presence and charisma. Even when it was just The Alchemist DJing by himself, I found it hard to look away and continuously nodded in disbelief at not only his sheer talent and creativity, but also the clear passion that he channeled into his craft.
In the past, the Alchemist has expressed his preference for becoming friends with rappers before working in the studio together to get a sense of their personality and character which, in turn, translates into the music. This sentiment is clear on stage, as Earl, the Alchemist, MIKE and Black Noi$e were surrounded by their crew and friends the whole time as they rapped along to each other's sets and kept the energy alive simply through their own interactions.
What made this concert feel particularly special was the sense of community and found family within a music scene—the show would have been less enticing if it was just one performer per set rapping over a prerecorded track. It was heartwarming to see the genuine support and love on stage and knowing it was a reflection of off-stage friendships. I could also feel the love for the East Coast and its respective underground rap scene during their performance as they shouted out the DMV (especially with MIKE having lived in various cities along the East Coast) despite the fact that Earl and The Alchemist started in the West Coast scene.
Sure, all these performers have their own sounds and are involved in separate projects but it’s clear that they all share a common passion and mindset and help each other to reach their respective goals. It’s a special bond that exceeds the complications that come with fame and showcases what music should be about at the end of the day.
Photos by Ruwaida Said
