All photos by: Shanna M. Rogers / Opener Photography
When Konvo reached out to me about shooting his Worthy show, a night filled with Hip-Hop and R&B at The Pinhook in Durham, NC, alongside fellow artists Pseika, Real Thought, Elaina Yvonne, 3AMSOUND, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It had been several moons since I’d attended a hip-hop show, local or otherwise, but I knew immediately that I had to sign on. The bill promised an evening beyond my wildest expectations.
I was not disappointed.
First on stage was Wake Forest-based artist Pseika, who has roots in both the Wilmington and Raleigh music scenes. He has been creating music since childhood, from writing lyrics to playing the piano, and that depth of background was apparent in his performance. When asked, he described his music as “deeply personal and introspective, triumphant and resolute, and meant to empower people to love themselves and be unabashedly confident in the face of adversity.” All of which was woven throughout his expert flow and stage presence.
Taking the stage and storming it second was Real Thought, a Jacksonville-based hip-hop artist who focuses on and cares deeply about activism within his community and nationwide. To say I was amazed by his stage presence, lyricism, and flow is an understatement, as it proves he has worked to master his craft since his early life. Real performed several hits from his impressive discography, including songs such as “Giannis”, “Hangin’ Up”, and “Downshift”. All of which left deep impressions on me, from their lyrics to the stellar way Real performed.
In the third slot of the evening was Elaina Yvonne, a local recording artist, violinist, and songwriter in the Durham area. Not only does she write her own lyrics and produce her own beats, but for the Worthy show, she recorded beautiful spoken word pieces as interludes between each song. Some of which left me teary-eyed from the sheer emotion and meaningfulness of the messages. Performing hits from her most recent EP, A Cozy Tape, including “Soul Partna”, “SPENDANYTE” (with a special guest appearance), and “BLK N WYT”, she thoroughly alighted the stage with her talent and presence.
The second-to-last spot of the Worthy show belonged to 3AMSOUND, an act for which I was very excited. Being my second time seeing 3AMSOUND perform, I thought I knew what to expect. 3 still left me astounded, and it will not be the last time. That is a guarantee. There’s a unique moodiness in his style and flow that I find captivating. From having a full band behind him to the energy he commands and the soul you can feel he puts into his lyrics, it’s a mesmerizing experience every time he graces the stage. With hits like “Better Now”, “Room 3”, and “Curtis Snow”, it’s no wonder he’s found a foothold in the Raleigh hip-hop scene that won’t soon fade.
Konvo took the stage last, and not a moment passed during his performance that I wasn’t enthralled. Typically, when I’m shooting a concert, I find myself lost in the viewfinder of my camera. During Konvo’s set, I took long moments to revel in the sheer talent emanating from the stage. Hailing from the Northeast, but now based in North Carolina, “Konvo is a purpose-driven artist whose name speaks to his mission: sparking meaningful conversation through music.” It’s no surprise to me, based on his flow and performance, that some heavy hitters in hip-hop are his major influences. All of which shone through during his set.
There’s a grit to his lyricism and sharpness in his flow that only aided in the magnetic energy he radiated on stage while performing, which was a near polar-opposite to the man who stood in the crowd like the calm before a storm of emotion flowing into his mic. Along with the band behind him and the DJ beside him, the stage was ripe for a performance I’ll not soon forget. Especially the guest appearances by vocalist Milly and saxophonist Nicholas Georgiou.
Performing hit singles from his 2019 EP, T.I.T.T.Y., such as “Silicone”, “Distractions”, and “What You Know”, Konvo left the crowd hyped, jumping, and shouting for another song to close out the evening well past midnight. It’s unsurprising that he diligently built a grassroots following of his music, which has honored him with spots on BET’s Freestyle Friday, HipHopDX, and the A3C Festival’s TIMY (This Is My Year) stage.
If I ever find myself free on an evening when these acts perform again, I will be attending. I hope that moment comes soon. These are “can’t miss” performances from your local North Carolina hip-hop and R&B scene that this photographer encourages you to seek out!
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