K.Flay doesn't like to sugarcoat reality. But when you have as much charisma and skill as this multi-talented rapper/singer/producer, you don't have to.
As the 28 year old from Illinois bounces around the stage at the Hawthorne Theatre on Tuesday night—hammering away at a drum machine and rattling off self-deprecating lines like, "If you wanna be my baby, get ready for some bullshit, because I'm, like, fuckin' crazy"—there's a good chance you'll be charmed rather than offended.
Having graduated from Stanford with two degrees and favoring a style that leans more electo-pop than gangster rap, K.Flay's hip-hop street credibility is next to nothing, but her brutally honest lyricism and undeniable technical skill have won over plenty of skeptical fans. On paper she's a hip-hop misfit, but in a genre that has always put such a large focus on being genuine and real, what's not to like about a rapper who embraces her personal quirks and releases songs like the hilariously blunt 2012 track "We Hate Everyone"?
If you're unfamiliar with her impressive genre-crossing live show, let the 26-minute concert film below be your introduction. She'll hit the Hawthorne Theatre on Tuesday, March 25 with Air Dubai and Itch.
