KRS-One Passionately Teaches Hip Hop Culture in Amsterdam
For over forty years, KRS-One has been a leading figure in the world of Hip Hop. The iconic emcee, affectionately known by fans as ‘The Teacher,’ is renowned for his socially conscious and philosophical lyrics. With his “Temple of Hip Hop: Global Awareness” tour — named after the ‘Temple of Hip Hop’ learning centre he founded in New Jersey — KRS made his way across Europe. Thanks to efforts from LATFRO Entertainment, the tour touched down in Amsterdam, Q-Factory. At 60 years of age, the artist is regarded as a living embodiment of Hip Hop culture across the globe.
Joey From The Temple
In the main hall, DJ KPrymeTheJaeger, son of KRS-One, kicked off the night with a strong set of iconic Hip Hop tracks while the sold-out crowd gathered near the stage. With a smile and infectious energy, KPryme lit an early fire in the room. As a surprise, Joey TRU – an emcee from KRS’ Temple of Hip Hop – took the stage with a set of lyrical tracks, including his new single “No Label”. The young artist looked slightly self-conscious as he moved across the stage, but his songs landed well with the audience and were met with applause. With a heartfelt speech on the difference between Rap and Hip Hop, Joey created the perfect segue to ‘Blastmaster’ KRS-One.
New York Graffiti
Carrying a giant ghettoblaster, the New York native stepped onto the stage proudly and full of energy. As his son introduced him, the emcee broke out a few dance moves before setting up the stage with hand-painted canvases. Two of those canvases were mounted on the front of the DJ booth, forming a graffiti piece by KRS-One himself – his name boldly painted in a colour fade. It was a tribute to his early days as an Aerosol artist and to hip-hop culture as a whole. The name KRS-One stands for ‘Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone’ – a philosophy that runs through his lyrics, rich with social reflection.
Turn The Sound Up
Unfortunately, the artist was initially confronted with sound issues. Several times, he called out for the volume to be turned up, and after performing his hit “Step Into A World,” he launched into a string of freestyle soundchecks until everything sounded just right. The result was a show that hit hard, but due to the mix, it lost a little clarity. And that’s a shame with an artist so renowned for his carefully chosen words.
Off The Top
Anyone who only knew KRS-One from his hits discovered a different side of him live on stage. Often, he would abruptly cut off a track mid-way and launch into a cappella verses. Sometimes taken from his vast catalogue, other times, they were completely improvised. ‘Freestyling’ is a unique element of Hip Hop culture where emcees are tested on their spontaneity, wit, and creativity. It remains one of KRS-One’s greatest strengths.
For example during “Out For Fame,” his ode to graffiti, the New Yorker freestyled: ‘Bombing, tagging, black book bragging / Throw-ups, pieces, aerosol art, graphics / Taking my space in the place, I ask it /Art as a passion, something you can’t cash in.’ That may sound written-until he started weaving in real-time details from the crowd. Phones, t-shirts, and faces in the front row were expertly worked into his bars. With lines like ‘Since ’89, I been feeling just fine / you catchin’ an old skool rapper in his prime,’ the MC silenced any whisper of age-related doubt on the spot.
Re Mind Yourself
As a seasoned veteran of Hip Hop, KRS-One considers it his duty to pass on the culture properly. He passionately explained why education and self-development are essential to music and culture. On the track “Re Mind Yourself,” he proclaimed: ‘Ask yourself: why you? / Why now? Why here? / Then it becomes quite clear / You are divine, you should not fear.’ With messages like those, the name ‘Temple of Hip Hop’ made perfect sense. Clearly, the Bronx-bred artist took his role as ‘The Teacher’ very seriously. Between songs, he spoke about his memories of the ‘80s and ‘90s with confidence and humour.
Furious
Still, KRS-One also came across more furious than before. Since the media attention on U.S. police violence in 2020, the emcee has seemingly become more outspoken on stage, only this time, his frustration was palpable in the venue. He ended his hit “Sound of da Police”, a protest track against police brutality which is too often mistaken for a cheeky move, with a loud ‘F*** the Police! ‘, complete with complimentary hand gesture. “That’s how we feel in NYC right now,” the MC stated before transitioning the show back to a more uplifting energy.
Boogie Down Productions
Besides being a renowned solo artist, KRS-One is also the founder of ‘Boogie Down Productions’, an influential New York rap group. Tracks like “Criminal Minded” and “South Bronx” had the entire hall rapping along, but it was “Remix for P is Free” that brought something truly special. The New Yorker called for ‘B-Boys’ and ‘B-Girls’ – breakdancer nicknames – from the crowd to come up on stage. What followed was a full celebration of Hip Hop culture: breakdancers up front, a DJ scratching beats, graffiti on display, and KRS-One rapping over it all. For many people in the audience, it was likely the purest Hip Hop experience they would ever witness.
Truth Will Set You Free
Near the end of the show, the buzzing crowd was treated to a final surprise. KRS-One’s crew brought crates of autographed tennis balls onto the stage and started throwing them into the audience. ‘I’ve spent an hour signing them shits. You get one of these, it’s random luck happening!,’ the MC joked before launching into his final tracks. After two more impressive storytelling freestyles, he closed the night with the call: ‘The truth will set you free!’ and a heartfelt thank-you to the crowd, once again proving why the New York legend remains one of Hip Hop’s all-time greats.
Photos (c) Tyron Rosheuvel
