Earl Sweatshirt, Mike! With DJ Black Noise

Earl Sweatshirt and Mike! played Columbus at Kemba Live November 2, 2026. Earl is from LA. Mike is from New York. Earl and Mike were touring in support of their Pompeii Utility album. Earl Sweatshirt and Mike walked out of barn and rapped in front of DJ Black Noise and two other people.

Earl Sweatshirt’s DJ had an entourage several times in the evening. Mike! played the role of a hype man while Earl rapped EW. Mike is from New York City. Mike’s dad’s favorite rapper is Biggie per Nardwuar. 

As the Columbus show progressed, I realized Mike’s NYC Hip Hop heritage was an important ingredient combined with DJ Black Noise’s understanding of sound in both EQ and sequencing. 

Mike commanded the stage with a Biggie presence found in NY rapper Papoose. Mike live sounds like if Joey BadAss started with 50 Cent and Supreme instead of Supreme Clothing.

I didn’t expect Pompeii This Morning’s strong presence in this strong in a live setting. Pompei Utility was produced by Surfgang’s Harrison. Pompei Utility is a series of short fragments where each rapper spits stream of consciousness rap over minimal drum machines. Pompei Utility sounded liked Earl Sweatshirt’s idea of a Future and MF Doom outline.

DJ Black Noise is from Detroit. Detroit techno pioneer Juan Atkins of Cybotron/Model 500 fame just died. Pompei Utility uses minimal drum machines. Earl and Mike rocked Pompeii Utility songs. DJ Black Noise added bass, Jamaican sounds, and pitched up soul samples which accented both Juan Atkins, and New York culture presence in Hip Hop.

Mike would lead chants like Biz Markie at Latin Quarter. Earl delivered his rhymes as a contemporary elite lyricist.

We were at a real Hip Hop show which took a surprising angle because Earl/Mike’s show was built around Pompeii Utility instead of Earl’s extensive catalog which includes songs with Tyler, The Creator, Thundercat, Frank Ocean etc. I think we heard a couple Voir Dire songs. Towards the end of the show, Mike directed the crowd to stand in a circle.

We saw Turnstile shirts at this show. Turnstile and Earl are part of the same community. Turnstile, Tyler and Earl are playing at Tyler, The Creator’s Festival at Dodger Stadium later this month.

Kids prepared a mosh pit. Mike acted like Ian Mackaye during a Fugazi show. Mike didn’t want a most pit, Mike wanted a dance contest. Mike selected contestants who danced. After some raps, Mike hyped up his own dance moves.  Mike can’t dance. Mike kinda moved his arms. I don’t know if he did the cabbage patch. I know Mike didn’t commit into the Humpty Dance despite DJ Black Noise dressing like Omar Epps in 1991.

Kemba Live was partying to Pompeii Utility like Earl and Mike’s double album was the Humpty Dance.

Earl rapped while Mike worked Kemba into frenzy. Mike would have the crowd chant his label 10K. Earl didn’t lead any Tan Cressida chants for his imprint.

Earl and Mike’s show concluded. Earl and Mike retreated into the barn. Kemba’s audience demanded an encore. Earl and Mike eventually returned repeatedly saying, Columbus, Ohio! Columbus, Ohio was mentioned at the beginning of almost every song.

Earl and Mike hadn’t prepared an encore set. Earl and Mike would trade verses at the audience requests. Earl performed Molasses which features the RZA. RZA wasn’t there so Kemba chanted RZA’s hook. 

I’m amused that I saw attractive ladies yelling RZA’s Molasses hook with enthusiasm. Molasses is off Doris, Earl’s debut. Earlier Earl Sweatshirt played 2010 off of Sick! I think I heard something off of Earl’s + Alchemist Voir Dire.

November 2 hadn’t seen much deviation from Pompeii Utility. Earl then rocked a verse which said FREE GAZA. Kemba exploded into a Free GAZA chants with the same enthusiasm as the Turnstile and Atmosphere Columbus’ concerts.

I’d watched Mike play hype man and then Alpha Male New York Rapper. Turnstile, and Earl’s community is known for their support of Palestine. Earl and Mike looked at the barn while the screen above showed the sun over some waves. I thought perhaps Earl would play another Doris song.

I yelled, “Play Hive.” Kemba started yelling Hive! Earl looked at me, Earl looked at the barn. Earl laughed. Earl said, “Columbus, Ohio. I fuck with you.”

I spent the month with various people saying Earl Sweatshirt wasn’t playing “Hive.” Hive became an oddly prophetic song which people blamed Lakers losses on Epstein and predicted various things around Epstein. I won’t put into words the mythology around Hive during this review.

Earl Sweatshirt performed something which wasn’t “Hive.” I saw Earl in Cleveland around Doris and I’ve seen “Hive" with Vince Staples. Doris is my favorite Earl album.

I’m surprised Pompeii Utility was masterpiece live. I knew Earl can rap. I didn’t know Mike’s New York accent and DJ Black Noise’s ear would elevate Earl’s lyricism in into an innovative approach towards an authentic Hip Hop cultural performance.