Freddie Gibbs (Metro - January 14, 2011)

It is on rare occasions that an artist is truly worthy of the hype surrounding them. In hip hop, there is a lot of hype surrounding artists especially if you are affiliated with big name rappers. With that said, Freddie Gibbs is an anomaly of sorts. An artist who has no huge affiliations (read: Roc-A-Fella, Yung Money) and exceeds any expectations of the hype surrounding him. With a headlining spot at Metro this past Friday, Gibbs' set was a combination of homecoming party, an opportunity to further build upon his heavily mentioned name and a chance to witness one impressive performance.

k-os (Lincoln Hall - October 23, 2010)

The last time I saw Toronto emcee Kevin Brereton aka k-os was opening for Gym Class Heroes at House of Blues in 2007. That night, he, along with fellow opener P.O.S., managed to put on a show that far outshone the headliner's set. With that said, his headlining spot at the more intimate Lincoln Hall on Saturday night was nothing short of incredible. His 90-minute set along with opening performances from Astronautalis and Shad help put together one magical night loaded with memorable grooves and talented rhyming.