[REMINDER] Don’t Moss Abhi the Nomad w/ Atwood & Caprice | TONIGHT @ Mercy Lounge

Worldly, genre-bending, and socially conscious India born and Austin-based hip hop artist Abhi the Nomad was, until very recently, not allowed to tour due to visa restrictions, despite becoming a buzzworthy rising talent in the alternative hip hop scene in recent years. Thankfully, that situation has changed, and with an environmentally conscious new effort in tow, Modern Trash, the exciting rapper is set to make his Music City debut tonight, Nov. 12 at Mercy Lounge, along with fellow buzzy Houston MC Atwood and local talent Caprice. A must-see fall outing for fans of modern, DIY, indie hip hop, tickets are available right here while they last! Read on for more about the show.

ABHI THE NOMAD

Born Abhi Sridharan Vaidehi in Madras, India, fast rising alternative hip hop artist Abhi the Nomad adopted a moniker more meaningful than most MCs, as his life has, since youth, been truly incredibly nomadic. The son of a diplomat, Abhi moved around between Beijing, Hong Kong, New Delhi, and Fiji all before turning 18, never spending more than a few months in a time in his native India, and eventually settling in Southern California on a student visa to study music production. After getting into western rock music as a kid, then discovering hip hop as a teen through artists like Kanye West and Jay-Z, Abhi began making his own beats and rhymes in garage band, spending several years learning and perfecting his pop-primed, lyrically sharp, DIY hip hop meets indie rock sound, which he formally debuted with 2014 EP The Beginning. It was the following year’s Where Are My Friends, however, that would really begin to attract a following, amassing millions of streams and swiftly positioning Abhi as a substantive, modern rapper to watch. Just as he was beginning to pick up steam on the west coast, however, Abhi was forced to leave the country, unable to secure a lottery visa and no longer able to stay on his student visa after graduation, opting instead to spend some time in France rather than return to a home country where he has few roots. While away, he inked a record deal and began working on his breakout full-length debut, Marbled, which the buzzy rapper released last year after returning to the states (securing another student visa for community college, while considering pursuing a master’s in graphic design), settling on Austin as his new home base. With a new visa arrangement that finally allows him to tour, Abhi has been on the road over the past year, drumming up hype, racking up streams, and flexing his socially conscious, personal songwriting chops, showcased at his best on brand new effort Modern Trash, a timely and urgent call to environmental consciousness, prompted by figures likes Greta Thunberg and Isra Hirsi, and the general dire state of the world. As he only recently began touring, this appears to be Abhi’s first time in Nashville, and we wholeheartedly encourage any fan of cool, alternative, and timely hip hop to make him a must-see!

ATWOOD

Hailing from Houston and another burgeoning fixture of the alternative hip hop blogosphere, rapper Atwood is, like Abhi, unafraid to inject pop and indie sensibilities into his thoughtful, genre-bending sound. Co-founder of buzzy collective Off the Jump, and a regular collaborator with artists like Khai Dreams, Atwood’s dance-primed, soulful, airy, synth-soaked sound has weaved between genre conventions over a prolific stream of singles, albums, and EPs in just a few short years, most recently this summer’s Loverboy. There’s clearly something cool brewing in Texas right now (don’t forget, alt hip hop breakouts Brockhampton also originated in the Lone Star State), and Atwood brings another exciting and different vibe to this bill.

CAPRICE

Opening things up is local rapper Caprice (not to be confused with the eccentric Malaysian hip hop artist of the same name). With a sound influenced by the ’90s and southern groups like Nappy Roots and Outkast, the Nashville native is a cool underground fixture of Music City’s vibrant hip hop scene, and his sharp lyrical prowess and genre-bending style makes him a cool addition to the lineup; don’t be late!

Abhi the Nomad, Atwood, and Caprice will perform tonight, Nov. 12 at Mercy Lounge. The show is 18+, begins at 8:30 p.m. (doors at 7:30 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $18.