Photo Credit: Mike Spinos
The show happened at Johnstown’s People’s Natural Gas Park, nestled on the banks of the Conemaugh River, drawing fans from Pittsburgh (80 minute drive), Philadelphia (4 hour drive), and plenty from Johnstown itself. A seasoned performer after cutting his teeth at multiple Rolling Loud festivals and as direct support on successful tours with LUCKI and $NOT, Eem performed a set of his most beloved songs, including confrontational anthem “WALKED IN,” flex-heavy “LOUIE V,” and the one that started it all: “AWKWARD FREESTYLE.”
Eem’s hometown fans greeted him with an ecstatic reception–many fans lined up hours early to get a great spot, and others enthusiastically crowd-surfed as Eem did his thing on stage. The 22-year-old rapper invited local rappers from the Johnstown area to open for him, including TrueK814, Launtrezze, and DJ Femi.
“Doing this show in Johnstown means a lot to me because there were never many opportunities for me as an artist growing up here,” said Triplin, before the show. “I’m excited to be able to put a spotlight on my hometown and provide a fun event for the local community that made me who I am today.”
Eem started his career as a producer, creating and selling beats online, producing songs for artists like $NOT and T9ine, including the latter’s fan favorite tracks “BENZO” and “Revenge.” Eem’s success as a producer fueled his desire to become an artist in his own right. His career as an artist kicked into high gear when he shared “AWKWARD FREESTYLE,” a self-produced, personality-filled song that used elements of Tyler, The Creator’s 2013 song “Awkward.” The song quickly went viral, inspiring thousands of TikTok creations, generating millions of streams on all platforms, and eventually reaching the ears of Tyler himself, who gave the song his enthusiastic co-sign.
Since then, Eem has released multiple follow-ups hits, including his debut EP STILL PRETTY. Over the project’s seven tracks, each produced by Eem, along with DJ Dahi (Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples) and regular co-producer Charlie Myles, Eem showcases his gentle melodic delivery and soulful, hard-hitting production. He directly dialogues with the listener and offers updates on his life as a rising rap star, blending luxury-living flexes with relatable tales of romance. Highlights include the upbeat opener “FEEL ABOUT ME,” a vulnerable break-up song called “WASTED TIMES,” and the seductive single “TELL ME IM RIGHT.”
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
