CXSHXNLY & HYPETRAK Present Keith Ape Concert Recap

Rule #1 of concert-going: don’t arrive when the doors open. Yeah, we’ve all been there bored, drink in hand, waiting for the lukewarm opener to finish, wondering why in the world we got there so early, but the first HYPETRAK presents show done in partnership with CXSHXNLY was an anomaly. The Regent Theater in downtown L.A. was packed and the energy was surprisingly already at a 9 early on in the night with DJ Zo getting the crowd rowdy with a mix of bangers. In other words it was lit from the beginning and the energy only went up from there as the night developed.

It’s not much of a surprise that the evening was so intense early on as CXSHXNLY’s been receiving much attention since their inception. If this concert is any indication, the music collective is definitely doing something right. This inaugural concert of what looks to be a series, showcased both artists on the label as well as artist’s from other labels that the CXSHXNLY team are fans of. It’s clear that their music and taste is resonating with people as their message is about bringing to light a culture of hustle, hence the name CXSHXNLY, which deeply resonates with the melting pot of minorities that drives hip hop forward.

Friend of the label Playboi Carti, whose career is also taking off, rocked the crowd and assuringly won over even more fans with his confident and charismatic performance. Next up was Josh Pan who helped warm the crowd up for headliner Keith Ape with his impressive mix of EDM and hip-hop. As Josh finished the crowd was antsy and everyone’s phone was out and pointed at the stage in anticipation of budding star Keith Ape’s entrance. People in the crowd of all races and backgrounds turned up for the Korean rapper, rapping along and fanning out to Keith’s music that has clearly managed to bridge cultural gaps. His biggest hit “It G Ma” translates to “never forget” and when that song came on there was an unforgettable energy in the building. By the end of the night, it seemed like half of the crowd was on stage rocking out with Keith Ape, but that was no matter. People on the stage yelled out lyrics to fans in the crowd, and fans in the crowd danced and sang right back at them making the ending seem more like a party rather than a performance, but that’s what’s most important at HYPETRAK shows. It’s about having fun and no worries if you missed the show, they’ll be more coming. Stay tuned.