Concert Review: Mick Jenkins, A Quest for Love Tour
October 17, 2016
On Saturday night, the Chicago native, Mick Jenkins brought his Quest For Love Tour to The Foundry at The Fillmore, in support of his most recent release The Healing Component [THC]. In the packed out, standing room only club Jenkins worked through music from his prior releases – Trees and Truths, The Water[s], & Wave[s] – which have become fan favorites. Sponsored by Red Bull' Sound Select Series, Jenkins’ tour serves as a crusade of sorts, spreading messages of healing, self-love, and serving as a political movement.
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Setting the stage, Jenkins’ DJ, Green Slime, began the night by playing Freeway’s, What We Do, an obvious crowd favorite, and almost obligatory song to play at a rap concert in Philly. Taking the stage, Jenkins walked out to a roaring applause from the crowd. Beginning his set, Jenkins opened with Jazz, from his critically acclaimed mixtape, The Water[s], as the crowd went into full frenzy-mode, jumping and rapping along with each word. Coming out of Jazz, Jenkins thanked the crowd for being in attendance and reminded the audience to “drink more water” – a calling card for his music. Joined on stage by American Foster Child, the vocal trio providing the harmonic accompaniment on the tour, Jenkins then moved into the melodically driven Comfortable, as the crowd danced along.
Speaking to the ills of social [in]justice and the suffering many people of color are subject to, Jenkins pivoted into The Healing Component, taking a moment to affirm the importance and power of love – to use love as a remedy, a method of healing. After this brief message, Jenkins then went into Spread Love – a simple, yet challenging message. Speaking to the current political climate, Jenkins made clear how his message of spreading love is the antithesis to that of Donald Trump and his followers. Still, he made sure to note that Donald Trump is not alone in his ideological stance. In response to this sentiment, Jenkins began Martyrs – a song that samples Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit – as he let out a bevy of lyrics without wasting a bar, and the audience right there with him rapping along. Fittingly, following the pain and sad reality of Martyrs, a moment of resistance and push back followed, as Jenkins covered a verse of NWA’s Fuck The Police, the crowd passionately rapped along.
Closing out the night, Jenkins capped off with the high-energy, trap infused Network, taking bottles of water and throwing them on the audience. Jenkins’ message is simple – God and love are the healing component. Unabashedly acknowledging his Christian roots and belief in God, Jenkins has used the stage as his metaphorical pulpit, crusading across the United States, Europe, and Asia spreading messages of healing and love.
