The Antiheroes

"My car broke down today. That's real rap shit," remarks Sha Prince, one-half of hip-hop duo the Antiheroes. But the show must go on and for the first of two NXNE appearances this year, Sha Prince and Flex made a breezy impression at the SmashMouth label showcase. Being the last performer for a rap show can be a tall order — doubly so when you're following up on explosive acts such as Smash Brovas and Deniro Farrar — but the Antiheroes were up to the task. The short show-ending set built on cuts from their recently released Modern Day Riot project (shout out to collaborators Junia-T and Rich Kidd), the duo went in on LP cuts like "Circus Clowns" and the title track. Album guest star D-Sisive may have been absent, but their performance of "Blow Up" was energetic nonetheless. Rich Kidd was in the house, just not on stage for "Cloud 9" but the duo have charisma, subtle wordplay and showmanship to spare on their own. This show was one to grow on, and a pleasing opening shot in preparation for their Joey Bada$$-shared bill on the weekend.