Hamad Thrills Fans at Dusk

I found myself in the Federal Hill section of Providence last month at Dusk Lounge for a sold-out performance from rapper Hamad. Labeling him as a rapper is, in all honesty, an understatement; he’s also a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. Last time I saw Hamad take the stage was at 2017’s PVD Fest. I was intrigued to see how he’s improved since that PVD Fest performance as a live performer but also wanted to see how he would present himself as an artist.

DJ Intimate opened the show with an impressive job of working with and building from the crowd’s energy before the show. He played a mix of present-day and the past’s most popular hip-hop and R&B music. When Hamad or opening act, rapper E, took the stage, Intimate made sure they received a proper dose of energy from the crowd before beginning their performance. I spoke to hi after the show, and he mentioned how he’s seen too many times an opening act or main act be poorly received by the audience before they’ve performed any music. This was something he didn’t want to allow for E and Hamad.

Taking the stage first, to the surprise of many, E hopped on to perform a quick song, an unreleased track titled “Focused,” and if I have to be honest, it’s one of the best tracks I’ve heard from him; I’m interested to hear what’s next from him. After he concluded his performance, it was time for Hamad to take the stage.

As soon as he hit the stage you could tell he was just bouncing off the walls with energy. It seemed like he bottled up as much energy as possible a week or so before the show, all to let it out over the next hour or so.

He started off with “‘Till Dawn,” and one of the more remarkable things about his set was how well everyone in the crowd knew his lyrics. As he went through each song, from “Blame on Me” to “Southside” to “‘Til It’s Over,” I was immersed in the heart of his fanbase. Fans danced and sang along, and this didn’t go unnoticed by Hamad; through facial expressions and words, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude for his fans.

Hamad wasn’t afraid to perform new tracks for the crowd, and has the remarkable ability to put his own spin on popular songs. His remix to “No Scrubs,” which he performed, is perfect example. Another example is another remix, this time to “Just Friends,” which he also performed. It was my first time hearing it and it sounded great. With that remix as well as one to T-Pain’s “Sprung,” Hamad, it’s time release both of those tracks, someway, somehow.

While he performed an unreleased track titled “Fill You Up,” Hamad’s show came to an unexpected end as the fire alarm went due to the fogging machine that was used for the show. Hamad has everything you want and need as an upcoming act; he has the fans, he has the energy, he is a good live performer, he has the talent, most of his songs are written and produced by himself, there are also people behind him who are willing to push his art. The only thing that’s left to do is to actually take advantage of these things and use them to his benefit.

2019 could prove to be a huge year for Hamad, but that’s if he wants it to be. We definitely need a project from him this year, and in the meantime, I highly recommend attending a future show of his.