Killer Mike

While the second of his two showings at this year's festival would certainly see a much bigger audience, anyone who didn't make it out to the Killer Mike's far more compacted Wrongbar set should definitely be kicking themselves right now. With the cramped house teeming with fans of the former Outkast member and current title holder of one this year's hottest rap releases, the Atlanta native slayed the room with a dank and dirty combination of bounce-inciting rhythmic concoctions and mind-twisting lyricism. Laying out classic joints like "So Glorious" and Outkast's "Whole World," beside more recent smashes from his Rap Music record, the larger-than-life MC leaned and rocked like a man truly having the time of his life, and the hyped crowd helped him along at every turn by giving as good as it got. Generally fire-tempered lyricism gave way to a wholly endearing personality, as the Southern rapper cracked jokes, regaled the crowd with winding intros about his mother, and, during one particular pause, appeared genuinely taken aback by the love he was receiving from a room full of people singing along to every verse, to which he responded with a blinding, toothy grin. Biting cuts about the devastating Reagan years ensured he didn't betray his "killer" moniker entirely, however, and as songs like "Kryptonite" had a few fans stage diving by show's end, the proud MC promptly and rather honestly proclaimed his Toronto set to be his best show ever before warning the crowd of his impending return a mere month from now. Hip-hop fans, heed that warning -- don't sleep.