Phoenix-based and Philidelphia-born nerdcore hip-hop star Mega Ran came through Brooklyn for a second time this winter on Dec. 10. He rotund rapper was still riding high following the Summer time release of his album RNDM, which was released at #2 on the Billboard heatseeker chart and is currently #1 on CMJ’s college hip hop chart.
Ran, AKA former eighth grade Language Arts teacher Raheem Jarbo was in high spirits riding into NYC with his tour mate Mr. Miranda, a local to Jarbo’s adoptive home in Arizona. The pair complemented each other well, both spitting insightful alt hip hop bars meant to uplift, though Miranda took a more serious approach to his delivery than the often jovial Mega Ran.
While titles like #2 on the heatseeker chart may elicit ideas of big time venues with vip sections the duo actually played a very unassuming art space called Shea Stadium in Williamsburg. Last time Mega Ran came through town he was just down the street at The Grand VIctory and for my money I would rather see him laying down flows in the more underground venue’s like Shea Stadium than the bar venues like Grand Victory.
However it probably doesn’t matter because with his drive and determination he’s going to moving on to the premier NYC venue’s in no times as soon as the main stream gets ahold of his masterpiece RNDM.
Mr. Miranda was up first and for an act that few of those in attendance had ever heard of he really did his thing. His deliveries were crisp and he did his best to get the crowd involved. His highlight track had to be “Got a Heart” which he performed second to last. The song has the sort of chorus that just about anyone can related too, “ sometimes I feel like I ain’t got a heart, and sometimes I feel I got a lot of heart.” and Miranda delivered it with a lot passion in his voice and mannerisms.
Mega Ran was up next and he did what is essentially a highlight real of his hits including “James Brown,” “Language Arts” “Mako Reactor,” and his newest single “Infinite Lives” off of the new album. Ran was alive during his set, sweating up and a storm and engaging with his audience, he even ran off stage and took a jaunt through the crowd to back of the house during his official turn up song “O.P.” also off of RNDM.
It was a good night for Phoenix based hip-hop in Brooklyn and as Mega Ran grows in popularity there will definitely be more of those on the horizon.
Text and pictures by Jeff Schaer-Moses.
