Deante’ Hitchcock may well be kicking off the next wave of pandemic-busting strategies for hip-hop artists, releasing a live version of his debut album, Better, along with a batch of performance videos shot during his quarantine. Since he can’t go on tour to promote the album and he’s already put out a trendy deluxe edition, producing a live version of the project actually seems like the logical next step, combining the usual tactic of touring to promote it with the stream-boosting re-release.
A lot of production value went into the shoot, as well, with Deante’ employing a four-piece band and a full set complete with a stage, light bars, and a disco ball. His performance is showcased through individual videos, allowing fans to watch them in any order or straight through as a playlist. It’s polished and professional and despite the lack of an in-person audience, he really gives his all, contradicting the commonly-held belief that livestreamed concerts are a little boring.
Hitchcock has quickly proven himself to be one of the more engaging up-and-coming rappers from his hometown of Atlanta, distinguishing himself with his appearance on Dreamville’s Revenge Of The Dreamers III compilation and his own quirky, charismatic, and visually arresting videos, such as “Attitude,” “I Got Money Now,” and “Plug Me In.” Now might be the perfect to buy your stock in Deante’ because his innovative approach and genuinely good music is going to ensure that it has nowhere to go but up.
Watch the live performance of “How TF” above and get the full live version of Better here.