AMINÉ 3.4.2022

Words and Photos By Faith Nguyen

Adam Aminé Daniel, better known by his stage name, Aminé, lit up Boston’s House of Blues on March 3rd. The standing-room venue was buzzing with energy long before the rapper took to the stage; it was clear this was an eagerly awaiting crowd. An electric DJ set preceded the headliner, and the crowd sang along to the entirety of the nearly 40-minute long set. The energy continued to grow until finally, the lights dimmed, signaling the moment that the audience had been waiting for. 

Met by roaring cheers, Aminé sprang on to the stage with the kind of energy you could only expect from the up-beat hip hop songs he is most known for. As a photographer, the speed at which he jumped up and down and ran across the full length of the stage was rather difficult to work with. As a concert-goer, his energy was contagious and incredibly fun to experience. The crowd was overtaken by screams and stretched-out arms as Aminé hovered on the stage’s edge. His performance was full of crowd interaction, which only added to the high energy of the night. “When I say ‘You’re Beautiful’, you say ‘I know,’ ” he announced. “Boston, You’re Beautiful!” “I know!” The crowd eagerly replied. And so began a call and response that would last the entire performance. 

Most notably though, Aminé invited a fan up on stage to sign his pants on behalf of Boston, explaining that he has a patch for each state he’s played in to remember his travels. The young girl he chose from the front row climbed over the barricade with the help of security and onto the stage, screaming in excitement. Personal touches like these separated Aminé’s “Best Tour Ever” from many rap shows that I have seen. His set design in particular contributed to this. Despite a minimal lighting setup, Aminé’s style and personality showed through in his huge, highly detailed set pieces. He explained his set and a combination of many of the elements that made him who he is. These include the corner store he frequented as a kid, a road sign from his hometown, Portland, Oregon, and a larger-than-life statue of his dog, Ollie. 

Yet despite the massive Goldendoodle, towering over me from the stage, what I noticed most about Aminé’s show in Boston were smiles. It isn’t unusual for the crowd the be smiling vibrantly at a show they paid to attend, but what was more notable was the beaming smile on Aminé’s face for a majority of the set. It was clear that he was having the time of his life performing, and I think that is the key to making his shows so much fun to attend.

AMINÉ