By Jack M. Angelo, Senior Video Editor
29-year-old Long Island rapper Hoodie Allen has been making waves in the underground since 2010 with his project Pep Rally. Since then, he has remained independent and bubbled under the limelight with consistently solid projects, including his first full length album, People Keep Talking, which debuted at number two on the Billboard US Rap charts in 2014. During this time, Hoodie has amassed a ravenous cult following, with fans around the world eagerly anticipating his next release.
On the night before Thanksgiving, Hoodie Allen performed at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Md., to hundreds of fans, the vast majority of which were teenage girls. Along the bar and the railings lining the side of the Fillmore stood middle-aged adults, presumably the parents of these young women, allowing their children a few feet of freedom for their special night.
The first act, Myles Parrish took the stage to an incredible wave of screeching teens. The crowd ate up his every move, as he danced, sung, and rapped his way through a handful of hip-hop-tinged pop tunes. Parrish’s every move impressed the crowd, even though most had never likely heard of the California artist beforehand. The 25-year-old had the young audience in the palm of his hand throughout his whole performance, and surely made some new fans by the end of his set.
Singer Luke Christopher had a tough act to follow, but also had a willing and ready audience—still hyped from the last performer and ready to keep the night rolling. Christopher took the stage with significantly less energy than his opener, lacking Parrish’s high altitude leaps and entertaining dance moves. As Christopher’s performance continued, he began to lose the crowd. Thankfully, he was not up long enough to completely disinterest the gathering, which was still excited to see the headliner.
Before the main event took the stage, however, a four-piece instrumental band played an anticipatory introduction. When Hoodie Allen finally appeared, the squeals were deafening. With as much energy as we had seen all night, Hoodie burst into the venue ready to perform. Almost more impressive than his performance, however, were the several girls in the very front of the audience who perfectly recited every single lyric to each song that night, even out-pacing Hoodie himself at times.
The music played that night bordered between pop and hip-hop, leaning decidedly towards the former. Hoodie Allen’s highest charting single even features popstar-of-the-moment Ed Sheeran. Lyrics like “We gon’ do whatever we want…I don’t think I’m ever gonna act my age,” from 29-year-old Hoodie Allen’s “Act My Age” being sung by a 15-year-old crowd give a good indication of the night as a whole. Calling Hoodie Allen “white girl pop-rap,” may be accurate, but it does not tell the whole story. Hoodie is a talented performer who has clearly earned his dedicated fan base through hard work and quality content over the years.
These incredible photos from the Hoodie Allen show at The Fillmore, in Silver Spring, MD, on November 22, 2017, were taken by StayUp.News senior video director and photographer Jack M. Angelo:
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