Rap Heroes Come Home to The New Parish in Oakland, California
OAKLAND, CALIF. — The New Parish is the catalytic and eclectic venue that sparks the burning flames that emerging and transpiring artists bring to the two-story, double-bar building at Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, California. Oakland’s own Kev Choice was the headliner in the four-artist feature that included Rob Woods, T. Carriér, and dj harmonyy.
To begin the night, attendees filing in were greeted by the meditated mood of Rob Woods.
Woods’ collected and succinct stage presence invited the listener to attend to his lyrical emphases. Traveled supporters put the words in the air for the motivating, life-breathing “Lemons” and the willful evocation of “Worthy”. Through vocabulary, the hull of people was enchanted by the methodical articulation of Woods’ performance.
An Oakland favorite, Rob Woods’ was in the environment he was made for, having performed from the wall-less winds of the town’s first Fridays to one of Downtown Oakland’s marquee stages.
Finely tuned for the rest of the night, T. Carriér gave The New Parish some old-fashioned west coast fun. Bass and volume on high, there were few left out of the dancing shuffle that Carriér and the live music cast a spell for. His bravado brought power to the words as they leave his diaphragm and reverberate through the venue. This created a high-energy environment with incredible energetic maneuvering that the keyboardist and rhythm section made way for.
And at last, Kev Choice in a free-flowing fabric brought a sliver of symphonic sound. With more than 10 different artists taking the stage, the energy of each was harmonized to bring a revolutionizing bump, groove, and sway juice to every present ear. Choice himself thoughtfully and expansively expressed with words and sounds that would take the audience for a sunset drive over the coastal Californian hills.
Choice’s vision in romanticism was the reason for this evening’s most eventful time of rhyme. Body and soul were the natural persuasions, as partnered persons further elevated the progression of this oceanic wave of sound and vibration.
From bossa bumps to sweet soul grooving, the night at The New Parish in Oakland winded up through a walk down the bay area’s memory lane with homely rappers taking the stage. This variety of musicianship was the tie-in for all performers whose crafts were celebrated and self-honored through this special occasion, an early April night, at The New Parish.
