Entering the Bank Street Theater to watch “A Sucker Emcee” this past Wednesday evening, I had no idea what to expect. I kept on wondering to myself, “How could they make a play using only rap?” Since I had never been too fond of the genre of rap, I originally assumed that I would not enjoy it. However, once Craig ‘muMs’ Grant entered the stage, grabbed the mike, and started speaking, I was taken by surprise. I was completely blown away by his smooth language and message and by the end of the show, I was entirely in awe and inspired by the man and his story.
What I thought was the best part about this show was how well crafted and relatable muMs’ story was, especially to me. In the beginning, muMs spoke about his experiences growing up in the Bronx, the borough I am from, and the violence and negative influences that surrounded him. When he mentioned the area where he lived and what he would go through living there, I could immediately understand his experiences and what it was like for him to be different from those around him and follow his dream. Another part of the show that I found relatable was when he spoke about his fears and how difficult it was and still is for him to face them to become an emcee. In the show, muMs would repeatedly state, “Fear is a warning, and I’m scared.” However, despite him being scared, he would never give up. By speaking about the times where he rapped horribly in front of large audiences but would keep on trying afterwards, muMs successfully proved to the audience that failure is a part of the process of getting better and how one needs to stand up to their fears of failing in order to succeed later on.
Overall, I feel as though “A Sucker Emcee” was one of the best shows I have ever seen. By using rhymed couplets to tell his life story, Craig Grant’s message of facing fears and following dreams is eloquently put out to show the audience that almost any dream is achievable as long wa. I believe this performance can appeal to and inspire any community of people and I would recommend the show everyone.
