There’s a new hottest concert in town and you might have just missed it. No, it’s not the Post Malone concert. No, no, not even Laufey nor Mitski. No, I’m not even talking about Avenged Sevenfold, almost selling out the 10,000-capacity venue even after hisses of protests against their frontman Matthew Sanders’s embrace of Zionism. Not even Daniel Caesar’s hurriedly announced show is as hot as this one.

It’s the MENARA BERKEMBAR showcase by rappers Dannqrack and Eemrun. If you’re wondering who they are, you might wanna ask the fans who bought all the tickets for the 2-day showcase in less than a few hours after the shows were announced. The first show, scheduled on May 30, sold out within 48 hours. Coming from the hip hop collective Midlyfe — you might be more familiar with its poster boy Lucidrari — the showcase also brings other rappers Ader2k, Kidsteph, and Babyfacekalif. (No Lucidrari detected; he’s probably deep in the growing Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta hip hop exchange.)

A poll later was brought up to gauge interest whether fans wanted Day 2 on May 31. I thought, hey, even if it happens, it will take longer than the first day to sell out, right? Like…. I’d have even more time to check my balance and get the tickets, right? Yeah, never dismiss the power of the Midlyfe FOMO. The kids obviously want this, really bad. The second day showcase, this time featuring the same supporting acts with Kidsteph replaced by Heil Nuan, sold out in under an hour. That’s quicker than anyone expected. The announcement posted on Instagram Stories hasn’t even expired yet!

MENARA BERKEMBAR — a rich plate of cool-toned, delirious hip hop dedicated to Kuala Lumpur, the fantasy of success and the baggage that comes with it — finally gets a proper showcase, the duo’s second push for the album after their set at the sold-out Midlyfe concert last December. Released in November last year, the album oozes coolness that other rappers who boast the same success couldn’t match. Conceited tall tales of full-blown success made by 20-something rappers over lush bedroom production can sound like the same story told a thousand times, but MENARA BERKEMBAR finds the magic and makes all the baggage feel extra glamorous. It’s simply pop music made by underground rappers who unabashedly strive for pop success. Don’t you wanna take a ride to see the end of it?

If you wanna jump on the hype, it’s clearly too late unless you’re okay waiting for a nationwide tour, a plan they sort of teased on Instagram. If not, there are plenty of other shows to have fun with. If you don’t understand what the fuss is all about, MENARA BERKEMBAR can remind you what you’re missing out on. Trust me, you’re gonna wanna believe in this one.

Photo: Danial Mohd Nor / @bydondavision