Flo Milli and Maiya The Don were “easily among the best live performers we’ve seen all year” says Kevin Bourne in his latest concert review.
Tonight, Flo Milli brought her Thanks For Coming Here, Ho tour to Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Centre presented by RAPSEASON. Fortunately, she didn’t come alone. She had a little help from Brooklyn native, Maiya The Don, fresh off her BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher appearance.
When asked prior to the show what we can expect from a Maiya The Don performance, she told SHIFTER. “You can expect a lot of energy, dancing, a good time. I like to have fun with a couple of jokes. I’m really interactive with the crowd. I feed off the energy.”
Well, she did exactly what she said she would do, while absolutely defying our expectations. Let’s face it, the bar is low in 2023. While a lot of young performers rely on backtrack vocals and sometimes struggle to engage with their audience, Maiya The Don came across as a seasoned performer beyond her years as the mild mannered young woman transformed into The Don right before our eyes.
As she went through her set, she exuded a hunger, confidence and boldness in her flow and delivery. Yes, some say that New York hip-hop is dead, but Maiya The Don is proof that the lyrical rap New York is known for isn’t dead after all. She comes across as an MC in both her delivery and ability to engage with her audience. She even gave away a TELFAR bag to a lucky fan.
But aside from her abilities on the mic, what makes her stand out are her choreography and personality. Throughout her set, Maiya The Don is unashamedly herself at all times. She’s confident and comfortable in her own skin. There’s no one having more fun at a Maiya The Don show than Maiya The Don and it’s contagious. This is why she has such a great connection with her fans and is someone you feel like you want to root for. And watching her perform, you get the sense that despite her success so far, she’s just getting started.
Then it was Flo Milli‘s turn to take the stage. If there were any questions whether she would be able to follow such a solid performance from Maiya The Don, she put them to rest quickly. She matched Maiya The Don’s confidence and hunger in her delivery with an extra pinch of strength. She oozes sex appeal, but not out of a need for attention, but because she knows who she is and has owned her sexuality and sense of identity.
While the word “banger” is overused in hip-hop today, Flo Milli has baannngeerss, the kind that make you bob your head and do the stink face, which she showed tonight, performing songs like “B.T.W”, “Hottie”, “Weak”, “In The Party” and “Conceited” alongside Maiya The Don.
But she also has songs with a message. Whether she’s talking about money or sexuality, there’s an underlying message about women’s empowerment, as heard on songs like “I Am”.
Both Flo Milli and Maiya The Don point to a major change in hip-hop. While many men in hip-hop have gravitated towards a more melodic, genre bending style, women like Flo Milli and Maiya The Don are rapping and giving us lyricism, in the process making us fans.
Together, Flo Milli and Maiya The Don delivered an entertaining show, and individually, they were easily among the best live performers we’ve seen all year.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 310 international voters for the 81st Golden Globe Awards by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
Related content:
CONCERT REVIEW – DESPITE HIS SUCCESS SO FAR, DANIEL CAESAR IS JUST GETTING STARTED | SUPERPOWERS TOUR
