Students from all over the Greensboro area packed into the Alumni Gym to see North Carolina local hip-hop group Endless Mic and DJ RJD2 in a concert hosted by Guilford’s radio station WQFS. As the artists were introduced, the fans screamed for them in anticipation. Endless Mic took the stage first.
Endless Mic is made up of two rappers, Zano and Stu!, while Deez produces the beats. They are currently students at UNCG.
“(Stu!) and I started just from free-styling at parties,” Zano said. They started as juniors in high school in Chapel Hill. Deez, who was performing on his own in Durham, joined Endless Mic two years ago.
Their music has been popular at Guilford; their newest CD, “Baby Geniuses,” frequently appears on the charts of WQFS. Endless Mic was excited at the chance playing with RJD2 because they grew up listening to RJD2’s music.
“This is actually our second time with RJ,” Stu! said. “We played with him in Chapel Hill when he was with Soul Position rhyming with Blueprint. It’s almost more exciting the second time to know that he is still trying to do things with us.”
As Endless Mic performed, the crowd sang and cheered along. Endless Mic took the crowd’s excitement and returned the favor by interacting with them. The front row was able to reach out and touch Endless Mic and one gave Zano water. Endless Mic also gave two fan members the chance to freestyle to Deez’s beats.
At the end of their performance, Deez and Zano jumped into the crowd to become one with their audience. Several members of the crowd took the stage to dance to the beats along with Stu!.
“I thought Endless Mic stated out a little slow but they really got pumping after the first song,” said first-year Rory Smyth. “Dancing on stage for the last song was a lot of fun! It was cool to look out over the massive crowd.”
“You aren’t going to find more enthusiasm than with a college crowd,” Stu! said.
After Endless Mic left the stage, RJD2 pumped up an already excited crowd. People were inspired by his beats and his video clips which were varied; he started off with a video of sea life, changed to a live feed of his hands working the turntables, then switched to a video of a man running down a street. Fans were enthralled by his music, leaving many craving more.
“His beats were easy to dance to and I liked his visuals,” said first-year Mara Karell. “I felt that the crowd had more energy during his set.”
“RJD2 came out with sick beats that blew my mind,” Symth said.
RJD2, who spent earlier this year touring with a band, decided to change his performance and try more private venues like colleges.
“(The change) is more focused on the electronic side of what I do than the live side,” RJD2 said.
“I hope you like what you hear” RJD2 said in his song “Salud.”
The crowd, with all its cheers, dancing, and trance states, appeared to love what they heard.