Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

As Aminé’s 22-song marathon set came to a close, the clock immediately began counting down from 60 for headlining rapper Lil Tjay to hit the stage. Unlike the veteran Aminé, who came out swinging and transitioning from playful songs to scathing bars, the young rapper took some time to heat up.

“Syracuse, what’s good, it’s me though, what’s up. Here to turn up with you guys,” Lil Tjay said.

University Union’s 2021 Block Party concert featured Lil Tjay, supported by Aminé, Dominic Fike, DJ duo Sofi Tukker and Flo Milli. In the virtual setting, each performer took the opportunity to sing far more songs than they might have live. At just over three hours, fans were treated to non-stop music.

Lil Tjay kicked off his set with “Born 2 Be Great” off of his 2021 album, “Destined 2 Win.” His stage was small and understated save for a few geometric sculptures, but the banner on the bottom of the screen showed fans were excited for his set.

“Are you single Tjay? Asking for a friend,” one fan’s comment read.

He quickly moved through “Leaked” and “Laneswitch,” two songs that feature his singing/rap fusion that caught critics’ attention on “True 2 Myself.” Behind him, his DJ and hype man called out to Syracuse fans.

As the backing track dropped out on “What You Wanna Do,” Lil Tjay serenaded listeners with his crooning vocals. When his voice cracked during the segment, it was a reminder of just how young the artist is.

Lil Tjay also paid homage to the late rapper Pop Smoke, since they shared the smash-hit “Mood Swings.” After his sultry performance of the track, he came to life, moving about the stage with renewed fervor for “Zoo York,” Polo G’s “Pop Out” — the song that put him on the rap radar — and “Ruthless.” But, before concluding the set with “Gang Gang,” he congratulated the graduating class.

Aminé performed next. It took three songs before he finally addressed the virtual crowd.

“Well, usually this is when the crowd cheers, but since this is virtual, there is complete silence,” he said, looking around.

The rapper shot to prominence after his 2016 single “Caroline,” which earned him a No. 11 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Amine performed hits from all of his albums, showcasing his penchant for playfully humorous lyrics. On “Blinds,” when he rapped his lyrics, “Dreads like Marley,” Aminé smiled, pointing to his own dreadlocks mostly hidden beneath an oversized beanie.

Aminé never took himself too seriously, occasionally laughing at his own lyrics as if this was the first time hearing them. Towards the end of “Spice Girl,” where he laments his desire to have one of the Spice Girls, the song cut out, and the room was suddenly filled with the bubbly lyrics of the Spice Girls’ ‘90s song “Wannabe.”

As the set continued with fan-favorites like “Heebiejeebies,” “Caroline” and “Mrs. Clean,” Aminé’s dance moves became more untamed, and the fan comments kept flooding in. “I watch Anime too Aminé” one viewer commented. He took numerous opportunities to speak to the fans, or rather the lack thereof.

Aminé made light of a virtual situation with high energy performances of over 20 songs. Courtesy of University Union

“Just wanted to congratulate the class of 2021. I’m a little out of breath, because I didn’t take any breaks because you know, usually the fans cheer in between,” Aminé said.

Out of breath and tired from running around the stage during “Mrs. Clean,” Aminé bid farewell and ended with “Compensating.”

Of all the artists, Dominic Fike, the musician who branded himself as “genre-less,” nearly spent as much time conversing with fans as performing for them. He welcomed viewers to the “Dominic Fike Show,” posing a quick question why Syracuse’s mascot was once the “Orangemen” and not the “Orangewomen.”

Before giving listeners a chance to think on it, Fike broke into his reimagined cover of Paul McCartney’s “The Kiss of Venus.” There was a certain irony starting with this track, which contains the lyric “Go to college, go find your major,” considering Fike only lasted a short while in upper education himself.

Dressed in a simple graphic tee and black pants, Fike brought a relaxed and personal vibe to his show. The most surprising aspect was the raw sound he brought on tracks like “Why” and “Babydoll.” Gone was the vocal manipulation or special effects, replaced by the timeless sound of a simple backing band.

Towards the end, he took a moment to dedicate the song “Falling Asleep” off his album, “Don’t Forget About Me, Demos” to his late cat Charlie.

“I wrote this song naked because my cat would piss on all of my clothes. I guess it’s my fault because I left all of my clothes out … This is for you, Charlie,” Fike said.

Nearly done, he showed his versatility on “Florida,” rapping for the first time that night.

“Thank you for having me. I appreciate every time I get to leave my house and diddle around on my guitar,” Fike said. “Stay in school, don’t do drugs.”

While Fike’s set was equal parts comedy and classic guitar-heavy songs, DJ duo Sofi Tukker — Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern — brought fans to church. “Come and wear your Sunday best, this is house arrest,” Hawley-Weld sang on “House Arrest.” Fittingly, the DJ decks in front of Hawley-Weld and Halpern were on a massive stone altar-like table, bookended by two lamps featuring cheetahs and a Larry Bird figure at the base.

This was far from their first virtual concert. From the beginning of the pandemic, Sofi Tukker has aired and livestreamed over 400 sets. The duo’s skills and experience engaging with an audience hundreds of miles away showed.

“I played college basketball, and I always wanted to play in the Carrier Dome,” Halpern said. “I’m gonna come up, someone’s gonna take me to the Carrier Dome for a basketball game, some house parties, it’s gonna be fun!”

Before they left, the pair performed their most notable dance hits “Drinkee” and “Purple Hat.”

Alabama-based rapper Flo Milli set the tone for the night with her confident rapping and style. Courtesy of University Union

Flo Milli kicked off the night with a curt greeting that sent her into rapid, boastful flows reminiscent of Rico Nasty, who graced the Block Party stage in 2019 and remains a constant inspiration to the Alabama native. Milli commanded the stage, walking around in heels and a glitzy black and gold outfit, complete with black arm-length gloves. She moved seamlessly through her early singles until she reached her crowning achievement, the recent full-length album titled “Ho, why is you here?”

By the end of her set, fans were energized and looking forward to the coming acts. The pandemic may have curbed mosh pits and screaming fans under one roof with top musicians, but each artist made the best of the circumstances, often performing longer sets than normal. Aminé aptly summed up this year’s Block Party experience.

“If you’re singing at home right now I can’t hear you, but I’m gonna imagine you’re having a good time,” he said. “This is the part of the concert where I say you’re beautiful and you say I’m beautiful … and maybe I crowd surf, you FaceTime your mom.”

Published on May 15, 2021 at 10:41 am