On Friday, Feb. 28, Cafe Berlin hosted its annual avant-garde hip-hop showcase, featuring artists Semiratruth, Cavalier, and Elucid as part of the True/False music schedule.

Semiratruth, who traveled from New York to the festival, performed songs from her 2024 album The Star of the Story, including “Humpty” and “Shadow Humpty.” Her eerie croons of “Humptyyyyyyyyyy, what have you done to meeeee” echoed across the Berlin tile floor and wooden booths.

Each musical choice as unexpected as the next, Semiratruth combines slam poetry-informed writing, distorted vocals, atmospheric, strange instrumentals.

 “The blessing of The Star of the Story – the enigmatic, astral-minded LP by Semiratruth – is how it pushes on the boundaries of your expectations, revealing how long it might have been since you’ve last stretched them this far.”

• Semiratruth’s Bandcamp, linked here

“indulge, meditate, cry, dance, laugh, SCREAM, be confused, be boastful, feel lonely, feel turnt, feel everything yet nothing, feel small, feel powerful all are encouraged while listening to this album”

• Semiratruth, via her instagram.

Cavalier’s set followed. Raised in Brooklyn, the artist now lives in New Orleans. On stage, his energy and charisma radiated out to the audience, while his witty, double-entendre-laden lyrics often took a few seconds to sink in.

Cavalier rapped about pilates and selling drugs in the same breath, infusing everything with his unique sound and voice. His Bandcamp and most recent album, Different Type Time, are linked here.

Elucid’s set was last. The New York-based artist walked onto the stage with gravitas, which contrasted with his energy and movement. The air around the Berlin stage filled with low droning tones, and the mood shift in the room was palpable.

Elucid’s style is described on streaming platforms as “raw, futuristic, avant-garde hip-hop.” His Bandcamp and newest album, INTERFERENCE PATTERN are linked here.

Each artist brought their own brilliantly individual sound and style to the showcase, creating a space not only of performance, but of connection with the audience, of creativity and expansive musical possibility. Each artist’s music demands multiple listens to comprehend their layered lyrics and boundary-bending sounds, and I hope that any and everyone reading this will check out and support each of their work. Columbia is grateful to have hosted such greatness.