On Saturday, January 26, popular hip-hop label AOMG completed the third stop in their ‘ABOVE ORDINARY USA & Canada Tour 2019.’ AOMG is considered one of the trendsetting hip-hop labels in Korea, and participating in this leg of the tour were chart-topping AOMG artists Simon D, Loco, Gray, Woo Won Jae, and DJ Wegun.
The floor of the venue was completely packed with fans eagerly waiting to see their favorite AOMG artists. DJ Wegun kicked off the show with a short DJ segment before Woo Won Jae took the stage with his song “Cash,” revving up fans for the rest of the show. His rise in the hip hop scene came following his impressive run on popular rap competition show, Show Me The Money 6 (SMTM), where he placed third in the season. Mentored by AOMG’s Gray during their college days and having forayed into professional rapping only a year prior, it came as no surprise that Woo signed with the label only two months following his SMTM stint.
Woo followed up with his songs “Phone” and “Hashtag,” and invited artist Chloe Devita to feature as a special guest. Chloe previously worked with fellow AOMG labelmate Ugly Duck and appeared on Woo’s latest album. The duo exhibited perfect chemistry as they performed a new, unreleased track set to be released in the very near future. Woo finished off his set with “Hate You” and “A Fence” before passing the mic to the next AOMG artist.
Loco entered the stage with “A.O.M.G.,” and the crowd went wild. Since winning SMTM’s first season, the rapper has acquired a huge fanbase and hasn’t looked back since. This tour served as a final send off to the rapper as he enlisted in the military on February 7. Loco continued his set with “Movie Shoot” and “Too Much” before greeting the audience. As he began to perform “Party Band + OPPA,” he noticed a ripple of swaying fans in the overpacked GA floor and stopped the show mid-song. He asked the audience to move back and refrain from pushing. He patiently waited until he made sure everyone was okay before restarting his song. Loco then soothed the crowd with “Still,” changing up the atmosphere before jumping into “Hold Me Tight.” The latter was inarguably a fan favorite of the night as the entire crowd actively chanted along during the chorus. After a wild set, Loco closed it out with “It Takes Time.”
AOMG’s very own charismatic and charming producer rapper Gray took his turn on the stage. In contrast to Loco’s powerful, energetic stage presence, Gray dominated the stage with his smooth, rhythmic style. He started off his colorful set with “Change” and “Dream Chaser,” with fans singing and rapping along. “Summer Night” boasted a funky, feel-good beat and Gray became a free spirit, grooving and dancing across the stage. His ability to charm and work up the crowd with his voice and energy did not go unnoticed – he sent killer stares at fans’ phones, pointed at them, and even kneeled and sang directly to lucky fans. Gray continued with “In My Head” and “Dangerous” before inviting Loco back to the stage for collaboration performances.
Gray and Loco kicked off their collaboration stage with their popular songs “Good” and “I’m Fine.” Both Gray and Loco have no problem dominating the stage on their own, but performing together amplified the energy in the venue and had fans bobbing their heads and singing along. They closed out their collaboration stage with the cool, catchy songs “Late Night” and “Just Do It” before inviting Woo onto the stage for “We Are,” a single intentionally meant to be Woo’s track for his Top 2 stage on SMTM before he was eliminated in the Top 3 round.
The last to take the stage was the legendary Simon D himself. The influential MC co-founded AOMG with Jay Park in 2013, but recently resigned to return to his roots as an artist. As soon as the crowd heard the rapper’s infamous low tones and the opening line from “Simon Dominic,” the entire venue erupted in screams while the GA crowd surged to the stage. Following a snippet of “Simon Says, Simon D performed “Jung Jin Chul”, a solemn track that narrated the story of the rapper’s uncle who disappeared from his life as a child. The song stemmed from Simon D’s first full-length album, Darkroom: Roommates Only, where he penned songs that were the product of his depressive state. Fortunately, thanks to the public’s help, Simon D was able to reunite with his uncle. The next song up was a remix of Jay “Soju,” originally by his labelmate Jay Park.
The encore performance brought all the artists back onstage in proper AOMG fashion. While the AOMg crew were hyping everyone up with “Upside Down,” “Who You,” “Thinkin’ About You,” and “No Manners,” the crowd was bumping along to the music while being bombarded with nonstop confetti explosions and smoke cannons. LA local rappers Dumbfoundead and Rekstizzy also made a surprise appearance to perform alongside Simon D for his song, “Hyung.” Amidst the chaos, the artists interacted with the crowd by serenading them, taking their phones, and even signing for those who brought their albums to the show. Simon D took it a step further by jumping offstage and partying alongside their fans.
Anyone who’s been to an AOMG can attest to the saying — there really is no party like an AOMG party. The lights, sounds, and the energy from the crowd create an exhilarating atmosphere that leaves you with just the right amount of adrenaline to keep you going for the rest of the night. If an AOMG concert is happening near you, it’s definitely a night that you do not want to miss!
Written by: Nahri L.