As the sun set in Eugene, six performers geared up for a night to remember. The Perfect Storm, a hip-hop collective, came together at WOW Hall on Saturday for their second annual show. Complete with electric performances and up-and-coming local artists, the show illustrated just how alive and well the hip-hop scene is here in Eugene.
The lineup included a variety of artists from the PNW, including Khalil Romeo, Masonn Deforest, RADO, Quez, Honey Tazer and Kadren. The Perfect Storm aims to provide the Eugene hip-hop community a place to come together, much like the ever-present house show scene for alternative and indie fans.
“It’s a space for us all to come together and celebrate hip-hop, something that we really love,” Faiire Platt, assistant manager to musical artist Khalil Romeo, said. “The goal is to shine a light on the hip-hop community of Eugene. Eugene is a thriving music city, but I think hip-hop doesn’t get enough love. We just wanted our own piece of the action.”
Khalil Romeo, one of the headliners for the night, was raised in Eugene and attended the University of Oregon. He started making music in highschool, and he said music has been one of the biggest constants in his life.
Influenced by Drake and Baby Keem, Khalil Romeo is very interested in the producing and creative side of being an artist. He described his sound as “a blend of hip-hop and R&B with some acoustic in there.”
“It’s funny because my favorite part really is making the music. Performing is a cherry on top,” Khalil Romeo said. “Every time I perform, the part after is the best feeling. I’m actually a pretty shy person, so before I can get kinda anxious, but it’s always worth it. Afterwards I’m like, ‘I wanna do that again.’”
Khalil headlined with RADO, a friend from childhood. They grew up together in Eugene and are both pursuing independent careers in the music industry.
Quez, another performing artist of the collective, headlined with Khalil Romeo last year and worked to continue the annual event. Quez moved to Eugene in his teen years to live with his dad. He started taking music seriously for himself during college, describing his sound as mellow hype.
“Bars but also really hard beats. It’s like I’m the thunder and Khalil is the lightning. He’s precise, and I’m loud,” Quez said. Citing influences like Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad, Quez said that his music is an extension of himself. For Quez, music is an outlet, and he said he really enjoys performing and absorbing the energy of the crowd.
“I’m a f-cking psychopath on stage,” Quez said. “I’m a little crazy out there, but it’s cool cause I can be. It’s the right parameters and nobody is gonna tell me to chill out.”
When asked why The Perfect Storm is important for the local community, Quez said, “I just want people to listen to more local music, man. We’ve got some really tough artists out here that people don’t listen to. It’s also to give smaller artists the opportunity to get up there and perform.”
The show started out slow, but by the end of the night, the crowd and performances filled the WOW Hall with electricity. The collective hopes to return next year with even more energy and love for the hip-hop community here in Eugene.
