Review: Slimkid3 and DJ Nu-Mark, The Fleece

Two hip hop heavyweights graced the stage of The Fleece last week, when Pharcyde MC Slimkid3 and Jurassic 5 DJ/producer DJ Nu-Mark brought their self-titled collaborative release on tour.

We were surprised to find the Fleece so empty for two artists so critical to golden era hip hop, with 40 or so people spread out across the 450-capacity venue (and many of them there with the artists).

But an hour or so into the huge roster of support, everyone was up and – if anything – grateful for the extra dancing room.  

Accompanying the main act was The Scribes, Table Turnsmore, Astrosnare, Ben Official, DJ Lunakick, DaHybrid, Minamus, DJ Average Joe.

The night doubled as an album launch party for Bristol/Plymouth-based alt hip hop group The Scribes, who would have almost sufficed as the main act. There wasn’t the usual sense of waiting or holding back some enjoyment for the main act, as you can sometimes get at a gig with a particularly special headliner.

Although when DJ Nu-Mark and Slimkid3 finally came on stage, everyone remembered why they were there, as Nu-Mark kicked off a stonking set.

Opening act DJ Average Joe was the only one to miss out on the audience buzz, giving an average (sorry) performance before Scribes emcee Loki Steele took to the mic to introduce impressive Bristol beatboxer Minamus, who impressed the room by going off grid with impossibly electro synth-y sounds and house beats.

Funny man Loki was a constant feature of the evening, introducing and performing with most of the other acts. He was able to keep the atmosphere alive through some technical issues as well, calling Minamus back on stage and emceeing over his man-made beats, after the rest of his group had turned up late, “this is what happens when you miss sound check” he told the audience.  

Scribes’ other leading lyricist Ill Literate proved his ad-lib skills by asking the crowd to hold up whatever random item they could find in their pockets, betting us that he would be able to spit about any item they held up – and not losing.

The crowd ran out of items before he ran out of rhymes. Items included lighters, a bra, a bus ticket, and a trainer – for which he even worked in the brand and model.

“Do you feel like bouncing?” he asked, kicking off their energetic set.

It was nearing midnight by the time DJ Nu-Mark appeared on stage alone with an barely an introduction for a solo DJ set, playing some absolute classics like Gang Starr, Skee-Lo, Roots Manuva, Faith Evans and Black Sheep; before finally introducing Slimkid3.

Fans hoping to hear some old skool Phracyde and Jurassic 5 weren’t let down when Slimkid3 bounced on stage to Pharcyde’s Runnin’. Nu-Mark delivered a few more classics throughout the night, including Concrete Schoolyard and What’s Golden, but the bulk of the set was dedicated to their collaborative release, broken up by the occasional cover, including an original take on California Soul.

The collaboration is more serious than the throw-your-hands-in-the-air hip hop the respective groups were making in the 90s, with Nu-Mark in particular bringing his A game, working in minimally processed, live instrument samples and Slimkid3 delivering that golden era charm in a modern way.

Together they’ve produced an upbeat, soulful record, with pockets of nostalgia, but simultaneously progressive.

 ‘I Know, Didn’t I’ featuring Dorondo’s soul cult classic, very much taps into the sounds of 90s hip hop, but reggae fusion track Bom Bom Fiya and King certainly feel new, and both look set for a big summer 2015.