Saturday August 3rd, Bronx, NY native Capella Grey took the stage before a sold-out crowd at Williamsburg Music Hall in Brooklyn, NY. His first headlining show, “The Terribly Responsible Vibe”, playfully combining words from his debut album Vibe Responsibly Vol.1.
“The Terribly Responsible Vibe” was A VIBE. Beginning the show with his energetic yet smooth “City of the Vibe,” a song that embodies the city of New York and its grandiose nature, was the perfect way to kick off the show. This introduction allowed Capella to connect with a crowd of eager fans who were excited to witness the artist perform his album live for the first time.
Since the release of his hit single “Gyalis” in 2001, the journey to this moment has been remarkable. In a previous article, Whats the Word hailed him as a “musical genius.” While some music critics may consider this premature, his recent headlining show proved otherwise. Critics often evaluate a project based on its sonic quality, but an artist with a strong fan base can surpass journalistic critiques and excel. Despite the power of the media, a devoted fan base is truly influential.
The fan base Grey has built is truly exceptional. Vibe Responsibly Vol 1. took years to create, with the singer engaging his fans daily as he wrote, recorded, and produced the album on Instagram Live. During his performances of songs like Bougie featuring Harlem princess Journey Montana, Baechester, Fly Shit featuring Jaewon, and fan favorite Gyalis the crowd sang along word for word.
Vibe Responsibly Vol. 1 is an album brimming with melodic sounds over hip-hop beats, intricately fused with R&B and Caribbean vibes. The captivating blend of genres has left music journalists debating whether the singer leans more towards R&B or hip-hop. This heated discussion even made its way onto an episode of Joe Budden’s podcast, where host Emanny delved into the topic. To add to the confusion, Billboard categorized the singer’s debut album under the hip-hop genre.
The state of hip-hop and R&B has long been a blur between differentiating the two. As of late, we have artists such as Bryson Tiller and Tory Lanez who have perfectly blended the lines between singing and rapping, creating a lane for artists like Capella Grey to flourish.
During Saturday’s performance, Grey joked about the media’s categorization of his music, stating, “Since they say I’m not R&B, let’s sing this with just the piano,” before performing the euphonious “Song about me.”
Leading up to the highlight of the night were performances from Fergie Baby, DizzyBanko, Lou Got Cash, Young Devyn, AO, Ghost, Diany Dior, Branford, and Champaign, who delivered high energy and, in simple terms, a lit performance. Setting the vibe and controlling the crowd with his energy and witty banter, host Father Zee, whose voice is often featured on Capella’s projects, illuminated the stage with his infectious personality.
A musical savant, the singer has publicly set goals for his career and accomplished them right before our eyes. Whether releasing a Christmas album, dropping his debut album, or curating a headlining concert, he has delivered on all his promises to his fans. While some debate Capella’s musical style and the category it’s placed in, Grey continues to transcend his own goals, building his fan base organically and forging his own lane of musical style. In simple terms, don’t ever put Capella Grey in a box, he’ll break through it every time.
