Cain Park’s ‘Hype Man’ is the real deal

In the past world of Hip-Hop three elements were vital. You needed a rapper, hype man and sound engineer who needed to work in concert with each other. Each artist brought particular skills to the performance. The sound engineer was in charge of the “beats” (the driving base heavy percussion that the lyrics are laid on). The hype man was the backing vocalist who supports the rapper by adding exclamations, interjections and ad-lib's in order to fire up the audience. His verbiage also gave the rapper a chance to catch his breath during the rapid fire delivery of lyrics. The rapper (while the main focus) was nothing without the others having his back. Quite a few hype men have gone on to be rappers in their own right.

In Idris Goodwin’s “Hype Man – A Break Beat Play” now on stage in Cain Park’s Alma Theatre we find three such souls on the cusp of super-stardom. Pinnacle (Mugs Johnson) is a white rapper who years ago teamed up with his friends. There is Peep One (Yuval Tal) who supplies the all important beats and Verb (Avery LaMar Pope) who is his hype man. The three have been friends since childhood. They have come through the hip-hop industry the hard way dealing with alcohol, drugs, tough managers, rotten producers, hangers on and studio personnel. They have put in their dues over the years with late night performances on the tail end of bills, shows in high school gyms and dealing with hostile crowds.

This summation of experience has helped the trio to sharpen their skills and raise their confidence to the level that they are ready for “the big time”. This is a mixed race rap trio with Pinnacle being white, Verb being Black and Peep One an orphan with unknown ethnic heritage. She has completed a DNA test but is afraid to read the results. Their big break is within reach when they are tagged to perform on “The Tonight Show”.

It seems that nothing can stop them now. Pinnacle and Verb are at the recording studio waiting on Peep One, remarking on how she is always late. Peep One arrives in a fluster having seen a high speed car chase go by her on the freeway that was then closed down with the sound of gunfire in the distance. Having arrived at the studio, Peep One checks her phone to find that a teenager, Jerrod has been shot to death by the police after that same high speed chase. It is further revealed that the youth was racing to the aid of his ailing grandmother and had attempted to surrender but was shot 18 times.

This throws the trio into a soul searching dilemma. Verb wants to construct a rap about the incident and perform it during The Tonight Show’s appearance and has Peep One’s support. Pinnacle vetoes the idea wanting not to risk their one big shot at fame to become embroiled in a political statement that is not their affair or to their benefit. The two seem to be in agreement with Pinnacle but during the performance Verb takes off his shirt to reveal a T-shirt with “Justice For Jerrod” emblazon on it. Pinnacle is furious as he finds law enforcement security support being withdrawn and sponsors dropping from the group’s upcoming live tour.

It becomes a battle of wills as Verb and Pinnacle are forced to weigh their life long friendship and the promise of material success vs. the fight for the greater good. It is a problem faced by many modern artists who see a broken society and must choose whether to use their talents to bring social injustices to light. Rap has a long history of supporting artists who advocate social change by agitating their audiences to action. In spite of Peep One attempting to be the peace maker the two go their separate ways. As Peep One and Pinnacle return to touring and rebuilding their audience, Verb gets involved in public protest and is arrested. A decision is now needed on if Pinnacle and Peep One should help with bail.

This short (90 minute without intermission) is a tightly written reveal of modern music and the challenges facing most artists. Mugs Johnson as Pinnacle takes his past experience as a poet and musician and gives a stunningly believable performance. You would never guess he was not a bonified rap artist judging by his on stage persona. You can feel his frustration as his dreams are sidelined by the sabotaging actions of his best friend. Avery LaMar Pope as Verb acts mature beyond his years as a young man who has seen much and survived much but is still willing to put his security on the line when it matters. In spite of his seemingly light warmhearted approach to life, deep down he is an activist looking for a cause to champion no matter what the cost. Yuval Tal as Peep One is the innocent who is still working up the courage for her great heritage reveal. She is the glue that holds the group together with her beats and the peacemaker who just wants to get back to making music and nothing else. The three work extremely well together in a fluid form.

The show is tightly directed by Jeannine Gaskin who keeps the action leaning tightly forward. Jill Kenderes outfits the actors in current fashion with subtle costume changes through the show. Brandon Drone takes the small space of the Alma Theatre and uses it to his advantage with his sound design. The sound is crisp without being overly loud. Louis Semenoro handles the lighting design that sharply highlights the action. Cooper Stites supplies the beat tracks that are vital to the show. Lastly, the four art works on the back wall by scenic artist Daniel Bortz sets the mood for the play before it even begins.

There are times when theatrical works go beyond the scope of their subject matter. Yes, this is a show about rap artists and hip-hop but it is also a show about principles and the cost of doing the right thing. You will find three actors giving authentic portrayals that will have you jammin’ to the beats. It is all in the words.

The Cain Park production of “Hype Man” will be on stage in the Alma Theatre through July 21, 2024. for more information and to purchase tickets go to www.cainpark.com or call (216) 371-3000.