Review: Adamn Killa is the MVP of Summer Smash

We have a saying in Chicago: “We don’t care about celebrities, because we’re the celebrities!”

Case in point, every time Chicago rapper Adamn Killa would make his way to the viewing area dedicated to dignitaries with his wife and frequent collaborator, Forever Band, over the weekend at Summer Smash, people would scream louder for him than the rappers who were performing, regardless of whether they were among the festival’s anticipated acts like Fetty Wap. As Adamn was leaving another artist’s performance from the pit, fans screamed his name and reached out for handshakes. He took it all in, taking selfies with fans one at a time.

And that was all before he took to the stage for his own performance on late Sunday afternoon at SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview. A lot of this adulation stems from his huge social media notoriety, especially from his “arrest me, daddy” videos. The rapper, who grew up in Chatham and Roseland, would approach an officer and dance in front of them, begging to be arrested (and in one instance, they did arrest him. After they let him go, he went back to making videos). With guilty pleasure viral hits like “Torta Pounder” and “Prada at 13,” his performance on Sunday proved why he’s the real deal who deserves to be viewed as more than an influencer. Seeing the decade of music making on SoundCloud translate to the stage is proof the label is a disservice to him. His fearless, colorful take on rap music made him the MVP of the weekend.

An infectious joy was felt throughout his set as young men and women held hands and spun around in a big circle during his set on the SPKRBX stage. Hopping onto the stage with a pink hoodie, bellbottoms made from pink lace and a Hello Kitty bookbag, his performance felt like a call to those who don’t fit into the mainstream to celebrate themselves. Joined by a pink brigade of dancers and his wife, he delivered a medley of his viral hits, including one of earlier songs, “Fall On,” and songs from his album “Influencer” like “Whatever U On” and “Hot.”

Adamn’s fan service went above and beyond, which is part of why he has such a dedicated audience. At one point, he had the crowd sing “Happy Birthday” to a person named Chance who was celebrating. He even premiered an as-yet-to-be released single dedicated to his wife, “I Like The Way You Walk.” Despite the gloomy weather earlier in the day, the sun came out for Adamn. Hearing all of these songs in the wild, compared to a cellphone, makes his catalog sound so much brighter and grander, as if there was a party all around you.

The final visual of him, his friends and his entire family all dancing together to “I Can Be” felt like a touching ending to a journey we’ve all seen play out online, the good and the bad. His online presence does not do him justice. Seeing him in real time truly puts his talent in a greater perspective.