Written and Photographed by Dan Rose
Give Harry Mack three random words and he’ll turn them into one of the best freestyles you’ve ever heard. Straight off the dome…
On August 22nd 2023, awe-inspiring freestyle rapper Harry Mack brought his Odyssey Tour to a sold-out venue in Bristol, UK. Amongst the packed venue, Harry started the show by free-styling to the crowd of fans, which is something I’ve never seen at the start of a show before, and this set the tone for what was to be a very unique show and experience.
Half an hour before Mack‘s performance, a QR code appeared on screen on stage and above it stated ‘Submit Your Word.’ The lucky fans whose words were chosen to be used during the show must have stood out drastically amongst the nearly 2,000 people in that venue. Of course I submitted a word myself, however mine was not chosen.
This show was one of a kind from start to finish, as there was so much crowd interaction throughout the evening and it was honestly amazing to witness overall. On two separate occasions, three people each time were chosen amongst the crowd and were given backstage passes to join Harry on stage. The first set of people were asked to give a character, a setting and a scenario. This ended up being: Pumpkin (Character), Sahara Desert (Setting) and Wake Up As A Baby (Scenario). Incredibly, Harry then used these specific words and phrases to make a freestyle rap live in person.
A little later in the evening, the second set of people were escorted backstage by Harry’s team and, when on stage this time, they were asked to share pivotal moments that they’ve overcome in their life or moments that have become a fond memory for them. The first person was also a musician, and Harry used their friends’ beat as the foundation of the backing track for the freestyle that was about to commence. This person’s shared moment was when their friend had personally made a beat for them to use in their music, whereas the second person had overcome domestic violence, had three children and started studying at university later in life. Finally, the last person had survived an autoimmune disease ten years prior which had been predicted as potentially fatal, but miraculously they had survived to tell the story.
Harry Mack’s talent is extremely impressive, especially since many rappers claim how difficult and skilful freestyle rapping is. Undoubtedly, not everyone can perform off the top of their head like Harry does and therefore, it’s no surprise that he’s performed for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ice Cube, Joey Bada$$, Ellen DeGeneres, Complex Music, and RedBull Music in previous settings.
Who would have thought that an American freestyle rapper could sell out venues, across the pond in the UK, without having any hit singles or radio play here? What an absolutely phenomenal achievement. This concert, and his European tour in general, just goes to show how one viral YouTube video can suddenly and dramatically change someone’s life for the better, and enable their remarkable talent to be appreciated on a global scale.
Written and Photographed by Dan Rose
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