Live Review: Yung Lean @ The Prince Bandroom Tues 5th Jan
Looking around, the Prince Bandroom was filled with 70% sadboys in their signature bucket hats and T-Shirts with the Windows ’95 logo. If you’ve been wondering where all the Wingdings patterns on clothing have been coming from, it’s most likely little pockets of Tumblr labelled #sadboy and #sadgirl.
Swedish rapper Yung Lean first emerged with his Lavender EP in 2013, his video for track ‘Hurt’ immediately appealing to young Tumblr users who openly display their apathy online. The tone of the audience at the Prince Bandroom was less shy though, sweet even.
In the meantime DJ UV Boi played Spooky Black and danced on stage, sadgirls lined up for Yung Lean’s sticker packs at the merch desk (his 2001 Sad face is a signature), and danced like they were stuck in a 90s screensaver.
Sadboys in the audience danced like they were lifting weights very slowly up to their shoulders and just as gently rocking their heads back and forth (similar dancing was spotted at a Listen record label party during Melbourne Music Week this year). The atmosphere was subdued for a rap gig to say the least. Not sad though, which is perhaps a misconception even if Yung Lean fans were once emo.
The sadness is tongue in cheek, and it makes for a nice antidote to the bravado at some other rap shows. Most interesting is Yung Lean’s fixation on the year 2001, and he has been quoted as saying that 2001-2003 were ‘the most emotional years’. Despite the fact that he would have only been 5-7 years old during this time, he touches on an unspoken about cultural issue. Which is, how those who were very young when 9/11 happened feel comfortable expressing their emotions.
In the case of Yung Lean, and it is usually the case for those who find an emotional outlet online, it is not so much more comfortable to do so, than just the only place acceptance can be found sometimes. In any case, it’s nice to hear sadness and depression spoken about as not wrong to experience, and something that bonds you with others, or is cool even.
There was time for DJ Tranter to drop some Enya before all the lights were killed and the opening bars of Yung Lean’s latest track ‘Hoover’ could be heard.
The mood change was instant, as half the crowd surged forwards to get a better spot. Yung Lean emerged on stage just in time for the opening two lines, “Fattest bag around, tell the law when I don’t fuck with//the saddest firm around, turn to dogs if they barkin’ on me…”
Sporting what looked like a Liberty scarf around his head like a boxer’s towel, Yung Lean moved about the stage as though he were the hardest rapper in the game, and the already sweaty audience paid no mind jumping and dancing just as hard, sadness be gone.
Newer tracks ‘Tokyo Drift’ and ‘Ghostrider’ were seamlessly blended with older hits like ‘Ginseng Strip 2002’ which there wasn’t time for at Yung Lean’s Beyond The Valley set.
For a popular internet tag, sad is just as hard to perform in real life as it has always been, though rapping has the benefit of good beats to accompany whatever its message. The thing about Yung Lean is though, on top of this niche he’s also actually just really good.
Like any great rapper, being genuine is key to growing and maintaining a following, and as Yung Lean finished his set by throwing roses into the audience, it became clear that there’s going to be much more Yung Lean in your Tumblr feed for years to come.
