Passing by the historic doors of The Majestic Theatre, one would not have guessed the venue was temporarily turned into a place of worship last night. The visiting deity was Lil’ B, known by his avid followers as The Based God. Needless to say, there were a lot of hands raised to the heavens and pressed together in prayer (an interesting juxtaposition against the actual definition of “BASED”).
Excellent performances from local hip hop acts Rage Life, CRASHprez and DireWolf accompanied Lil’ B, but as the headlining rapper took the stage the true magic of his dumb brilliance began to unfold. An Internet sensation, Lil’ B refuses to adhere to the structures of the rap game in his business methods as well as his musical performances. At 22 years old, he claims to have over two thousand songs, most of which involve the lyrics “I’m (insert random celebrity here).” Last night, Lil’ B told the audience, in true election-year fashion, “I’m Mitt Romney.”
As ridiculous as his lyrics may be, Lil’ B is doing something right. His live performances are a sight to behold, and a damn good way to spend a Monday night. The Majestic’s main room was saturated with the crowd’s energy (and the pungent aromas of beer and B.O.), and The Based God knew it. Favorites from his most recent album, Choices and Flowers, as well as earlier compilations dotted the set list. And don’t forget the cooking dance.
Lil’ B may not be the prophetic poet some hip hop fans look for. His lyrics are trite, his performances primal. However, maybe that’s what we need, as over-worked, over-stressed, over-analytical college students. We needed a chance to zone out and dance hard—thank you, Based God.
