Depending on who you speak to, the place of hip-hop at the FME is somewhat contentious. Some see the proliferation of rap bookings to being in alignment with the music industry, others as a kowtowing to younger audiences. Festivals who've been in operation for over 20 years know the debate between the old guard and the new very well. But then again, discussions around hip-hop in the Québec music scene writ large, which is celebrating 50 years this year, are usually divided. It's no secret that, for a musical genre rooted in Black culture, those who've been given mainstream press in Québec's hip-hop scene are predominantly white. As such, there is as much a generational divide as there is a racial divide within the scene, both in Montreal and province-wide, with many non-white talents getting pushed to the margins.
Nowhere was this more apparent than at the main stage on day 3 of the FME. Sandwiched between the two well-established Québec rap trios of LaF and Loud Lary Ajust, independent rapper and 2019 Polaris Music Prize winner Haviah Mighty had a bit of an uphill battle to contend with. You'd be forgiven for thinking that an audience of hip-hop fans would be hyped up to be attending one of Canada's strongest rappers' rare excursions to Québec, but it took almost half of Mighty's set before the crowd truly woke up. Even then, the momentum was difficult to maintain.
None of this showed up in Mighty's performance on stage. She was assured, dynamic, and on top of her game. She was constantly engaging the audience and her crowd work is faultless — she's made sure to learn a few French phrases by heart, has an amazing hype man, and came down from stage into the audience pit to interact with the fans.
The interludes were quick and tight, and the material largely upbeat and dancey, with an appearance by her sister Omega Mighty as backup dancer. Much of Mighty's more introspective and socially conscious songs were left aside in favour of her electronic and reggae-tinged anthems from 2023's Crying Crystals. Her performances of her Connor Price collaboration "Trendsetter" and bouncy Crying Crystals highlight "All the Time" effectively got the crowd moving in the later half of Mighty's set, ending on a high note. Hopefully the charisma and skills she displayed on stage manage to convince attendees to delve into Haviah Mighty's sizable and gem-filled discography.