December 22nd, 2018 marked a noteworthy occasion at The #Casbah in #Hamilton featuring a concert hosted by hip-hop artist #Emil 13. The venue itself was small, cozy and decently packed, providing a more personal experience to vibe with the artist. Upon my early arrival, Emil 13 kindly greeted me with a hug and proceeded to inform about the raffle prizes such as a jersey and some artwork. Most importantly, the prices of Emil 13’s tickets and the raffle draw altogether contributed towards the McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation – a good cause which matched his good heart.
Opening the show, The Casbah welcomed Smoothie Lou, JR Bebble, Parkfromcc, and Genom to pump up the crowd as Emil 13 prepared for his set. Nearing a half-hour before midnight, an epic entrance was on the horizon. White strobe lights flashed and Emil 13 addressed the audience to inch their way closer toward the front as we huddled together like a family. He then spoke of his childhood through the sentimental track “Career Day,” mentioning how his grandfather bought him his first rap album at the age of ten. This heartfelt purchase had Emil 13 asking himself: “Boy, who you wanna be like? Happy as can be ‘cause then I’m free and I’ll feel like me.” Since his younger days, Emil 13 remained open-minded and accepting of change, which are his key ingredients in growing as an artist.
Unexpectedly, the crowd cheered for Emil 13 to take his shirt off. He obliged and showed off tattoos galore. The track “Rerun” soon erupted, bringing electrifying entertainment and shifting the audience’s mood to soar and beg for an encore (or ’rerun’) the moment the song came to an end. Emil 13 instantaneously had them hooked with his adrenalized lyrics spitting out, “Going like a rerun, going like a rerun, going like a rerun.” The words circulated your brain even as you exited the club scene.
As he performed “The Jump,” his title track, Emil 13 squinted his eyes, expressing earnest joy and an energetic passion in sharing his music. He visibly lived in the moment and celebrated that moment. Emil 13 demonstrated a fiery energy by the way his hand motions matched his multi-syllables and how he emphasized words on snare. He was never monotone, especially since he possessed a voice that constantly varied in rhythmic flow and delivery of tone.
During the after-party, I bumped into an acquaintance and musician Pavel Soltys who tried to catch Emil 13’s attention, but to no avail. Pavel jokingly noted that “Emil’s on a mission” as we noticed him pacing back and forth doing multiple tasks as the host of the entire event. Indeed, Emil 13 was a go-getter and “addicted to chasing after visions” as lyrically stated in “The Jump.” Often, I spotted Emil 13 charismatically checking in and catching up with those attending. He single-handedly created a comfortable and warm atmosphere to override any winter blues!
Interestingly, Emil 13 originally considered becoming a massage therapist. I was pleased to hear he switched career pursuits for something that highlighted his pulsating and unpredictable lyrical flows as a conscious rapper. Alternatively, many would have missed out on this “Gift to Infinity” – a legacy in the making.