Wynne kicks off hometown tour at Specks Records
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Known for her bars about Nike, throwing the "O" and even teaming up with Dame, rapper Sina Wynne Holwerda kicked off her "Tour Next Door" last night with a bang of a kick drum, performing at Specks Records.
The big picture: The Lake Oswego-born artist, best known as just Wynne, has been one of hip-hop's hottest up-and-coming rappers for years.
- Videos of her freestyles (like one mistaking her for Eminem's daughter) routinely go viral and she's been known to pack venues with fans who are able to keep up with her ultra-quick cadence and sharp-witted lyricism.
State of play: Wynne's "Tour Next Door" is an ode to her hometown. On the six-date, locals-only September run, she's headlining Portland hotspots like The 1905, Atlantis Lounge and Alberta Street Pub.
- She'll be joined by live jazz-soul quartet Greaterkind at each show, which will also feature a different opener, including other Portland-based emcees and DJs like Mal London, Tinizeee and Vary.
- Wynne is not one for interviews or excessive live shows: She keeps her in-person performances tightly curated (it's a hype builder) and promised this tour will feature a different vibe each time, with exclusive merch and copies of her unreleased mixtape, too.
Zoom in: When Wynne approached the mic Thursday night — tucked in the back of Specks' narrow hall, lined with crates and cassettes — she said: "My goal with this tour is to connect audiences to the local music scene."
- Right before she went on, vinyl wizard spinitch and Woodburn-based rapper Dobleon commanded the room.
- Throughout her roughly hourlong set, backed by a band, Wynne's energy was electric. There were interludes for bass solos, a breakout sing-along of Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)," and, of course, freestyling.
What we're watching: The emcee performed several songs off her upcoming mixtape, which she called her "best body of work yet." It's a collection of tracks "ripping up everybody's beats."
The bottom line: Like Wynne raps in "What Would Comb Do?": "I'll be the greatest out of Portland if it's the last thing I do."
- Sounds like manifestation to me.
If you go: Wynne's "Tour Next Door" runs through Sept. 27.