Photos by Ben Sklar
Upstart rapper Le1f has been almost inescapable among certain NYC circles in the past few months, making the rounds DJing and rapping brief, punchy sets at niche art and fashion-geared events. During his set at Glasslands last night, you could understand why. His performance was compact and intimate to the effect that he may as well have just jumped down from the stage to greet his audience at eye-level. He guided the crowd with graceful body contortions as much as he did with his rapping.
Mid-set realization: I've never seen masses of people watching performances from behind their iPhone cameras at Glasslands.
Other mid-set realization: Probably because it's too foggy.
Songs before shirt removal: Five
Highlight: Chilling rendition of the dancehall vocals sampled on G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy": "It is a weeping/ And a moaning/ And a gnashing of teeth."
Drum kit or venue effect?: So many of the beats from Le1f's Dark York mixtape could've been samples of Glasslands' pipes dripping.
Rare rapper request: "Can I get a little reverb?"
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