Earlier this year we saw Alabama’s Pink Siifu reunite with super producer Ahwlee as their neo-soul band B. Cool-Aid. The duo left the project essentially dormant after their terrific yet short 2019 LP Syrup, the pair emerged earlier this year with an opus. Leather Blvd. is the dense concept album filled with low-pressure soul over jazzy instrumentals, an evolution from the pair’s earlier work. In just over an hour of music, Siifu and Ahwlee tapped some of the most exciting voices in jazz and soul and blended them for 16 tracks of pure artistic bliss.
Over the weekend (Saturday, August 12), the duo brought these songs to life at Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live Lounge as their Live ‘N Leather tour rolled through the City of Brotherly Love. With a stellar lineup of openers and an unconventional venue, B. Cool-Aid ran through highlights from their discography and made their fusion of soulful Hip-hop seem effortless.
World Cafe Live Lounge is not an average venue. It is a fully functioning restaurant and bar with seats and no area for standing in front of the stage. Instead, you’re seated at a slightly romantic candle-lit table and handed a menu featuring everything from expensive salads to cheap beer. The atmosphere of the venue felt welcoming and warm as large windows allowed the dwindling sunlight to creep in just as the music began to pump through their system. The show put on by these musicians was the brightest thing in the city that night as B. Cool-Aid brought in some extremely talented artists to take the opening slots.
First up was Philadelphia legend QThree who plugged in his MPC and, with no hesitation, set the tone for the night. The vocalist and producer leaned toward the latter as his DJ set featured masterful flips and gorgeous instrumentals. QThree has had solid control of the Philadelphia hip-hop scene for some years now, releasing music through his Baked Recordings outfit that redefines the city’s sound. The highlight of his set was the seamless transitions of each track, never sticking to a singular sound but finding innovative ways for his DJ set to flow naturally. After spinning a sinfully soulful reimagination of a classic D’Angelo track, the first vocalists of the night stepped up on the slightly-elevated stage.
Next up was 1Rich Park and Swooty Mac of GKFAM, two emcees from the Midwest who traveled all this way just to tear down World Cafe Live. The pair took turns spinning select cuts from their discography while also showing a veteran-status command of the stage. For a brief moment, their charisma was the only thing on everyone’s mind as 1Rich Park kicked things off with some terrific display of wordplay over neck-breaking instrumentals. Swooty Mac then stepped up to the mic and it felt like the whole city was immediately mesmerized by the man. His stage presence only elevated his mind-bending examples of groove-filled hip-hop that scoffs at complacency and infected the room with smiles and seated dancing. If you entered that room unaware of these two artists, you left repeating their names in your head or saving an album on Spotify so you never make the mistake of missing a future release from GKFAM.
The third and final opening act put on a full display of hazy Hip-hop that changed the atmosphere of the room, not because it needed to be changed but simply by how impactful their words can be. Goya Gumbani is the well-traveled multi-hyphenate whose short discography is filled with so much color and life it is almost impossible for him to not put on a stellar live show. Gumbani not only didn’t disappoint but surpassed any and all expectations. His set consisted of beautifully crafted beats that evoke the feeling of free falling while his gentle vocals guide you through his set. The fact he was able to take such command of the stage with such beautifully written songs speaks volumes to his prowess as a performer and musician overall. His drum machine was booming with personality as Gumbani put a bow on the opening sets.
B. Cool-Aid took no time wowing the crowd. Dressed in full leather, Siifu shuffled his way through the crowd as the Leather Blvd. favorite “Diamonds” was crooned throughout the venue. Ahwlee stood tall and proud, also in leather, behind his DJ setup as Siifu immediately grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. The pair ran through cuts from their latest offering such as “SoundGood” and the underrated B-side “Streets Got Pages”. Their short yet potent set felt perfect for the mood of the venue and they didn’t let the energy die down once. The magic of Siifu comes from his incredible vocal range that sounds just as good live as on the album, never missing a single note while also sipping whisky and engaging with the audience. B. Cool-Aid then reached back into their discography for a stellar performance of “Syruphands” from their aforementioned 2019 outing, bouncing around their discography effortlessly. Siifu’s stage presence was undeniable, he marched through the small room multiple times during his performance as Ahwlee held it down from his laptop.
To say these artists did not disappoint would be an understatement. Everyone from the first opener to B. Cool-Aid was able to make the most of a seated room and put on one jaw-dropping performance after another. Check out photos from B. Cool-Aid’s Philadelphia stop of their Live ‘N Leather tour below.
