Photos: Anrea Santos
On August 18th, Lil Ugly Mane was performing in Garden Grove and I did not want to pass up my opportunity to see him live. My brother put me onto LUM, saying he was “the best rapper ever.” After a few listens of LUM’s 2012 album, Mista Thug Isolation, I definitely put him up for the running. Drawing influence from Memphis rap and dark horrorcore, I was fascinated by not only his own producing, but the way that he carries his voice around different beats and flows. In short, I was more than excited to see how Lil Ugly Mane would perform in a tiny and intimate venue. The Lockerroom, normally known for teenage punk bands and hardcore icons, is not usually seen putting on rap shows which excited me about the future for the venue and music in Garden Grove as a whole.
Before the first song even started, Lil Ugly Mane was already in the middle of the crowd, staying there for the entirety of his ~50 minute set. The crowd was as mixed as you could get. From tall to small, nothing stopped anyone from jumping around.
I have never seen a whole pit rap and chant along to a full song without missing a single word. The crowd’s energy made the show infinitely better. LUM was one with the crowd, letting anyone who know the lyrics rap right alongside him. The whole room chanting “MANIAC MANIAC” during “Maniac Drug Dealer III” and “SERIOUS SHIT NO PLAYIN HO” during “Serious Shit” changed the vibe of a room full of strangers to a tribe of fans surrounding Ugly Mane like cavemen around a fire.
As the show flowed from track to track, Lil Ugly Mane’s energy stayed the same the whole way through with no intentions of stopping. Unlike a lot of rappers who let their tracks play in the background with minimal effort, Ugly Mane did not miss a single bar and gave everything he had. Right beside LUM is his hypeman, giving his energy from the stage while Ugly Mane runs the crowd.
The show ended, Ugly Mane scurried out of the crowd, and everyone stood there awestruck. Overall, I am super surprised at how good LUM live is. With how much he put into the crowd, this most likely won’t be the last time I will be seeing him.
Check out Lil Ugly Mane on his Instagram and Bandcamp for more.
