By: Nathan Williams The Ryerson Student’s Union hosted “Sundown Music Festival” last Friday, one final concert jam for students to enjoy before the summer weather begins to fade. Artists Joey Bada$$ and Miguel headlined the show held at the picturesque Polson Pier.
There were high expectations for this year’s event after the backlash that the RSU received following the controversial outcome of last year’s “6 Fest."
Sundown kicked off with a performance by Toronto’s very own all-female rap group, The Sorority. With a sound heavily inspired by 90s hip-hop, their hard-hitting lyricism and homage to rappers from decades past got the crowd involved.
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Next up were The Skins, an afro-punk band known for their collaborations with hip-hop artist D.R.A.M. Hailing from Brooklyn, The Skins’ musical style incorporated hip-hop samples from the likes of fellow New York City artist Jay-Z with their own R&B sound.
From Ajax, Ont., rapper Sean Leon took the stage. This was his second RSU concert performance and he captivated fans with his stage presence, bringing energy into his rhymes. Playing songs such as “Steve Harvey / Family Feud”, his catchy hooks had the crowd singing along.
Earlier this year, hip-hop artist Logic had to postpone his Toronto stop on the "Everybody's Tour." The festival was a great opportunity for fans to see Joey Bada$$, who was supposed to accompany Logic on his tour.
Joey Bada$$ made his presence known through his style of “conscious rap." A hip-hop mainstay, Joey Bada$$ played hits from his 2017 studio release ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. “Land of the Free”, and “Devastated” were just some of the tracks performed from this politically-charged album.
Not one to shy away from controversial topics, this full-length LP discusses racial tension amidst the wake of the new American presidency. For long-time fans, he played his classic hits “Paper Trail$” and “Christ Conscious”.
Starting his “Wildheart” tour at Sundown Music Festival, Miguel was the last artist to take the stage. His smooth voice and R&B sound delivered a relaxed vibe to an easygoing crowd. Audience members swayed to the likes of “Do You…” and “Coffee”.
His backing band energized the crowd with powerful guitar riffs through each song. Ending the night, Miguel performed his major hit “Adorn” and appeared once more to sing his upcoming hit, “Skywalker”, as a surprise encore.