It was 11:30 p.m., and the crowd had been waiting for Kaytraminé to step on the stage. Just as the concert-goers began to feel the weariness and fatigue that comes with the infinite waiting, Brooklyn Mirage went black, and the Diddy sample used in “Who He Iz” filled the room. The lights went up, and the audience saw Kaytranda at a makeshift desk, with Aminé in a makeshift recording booth, referencing their humble beginnings. Within seconds, the props were removed, and it was just the duo, the colorful screens, and the crowd. The audience went wild, their hands went up, and the bopping commenced.
The long-awaited Kaytraminé collaborative album dropped in late May 2023, and was immediately bumped by fans the whole summer. With tracks such as “STFU3”, “Sossaup” and “4eva”, listeners were transported to a tropical vacation, where the margaritas were endless, sunglasses were a necessity, and a little two-step was always the move.
The collaboration of Kaytranada and Aminé has been one of conversation since 2013, when Aminé remixed Kaytranada’s “At All” under the title “Not At All”. Since then, Kaytranada has assisted in the production of a few Aminé deep cuts, but fans were desperate for a true moment between the two. Kaytranada’s signature house sound draws from Afrobeats, hip-hop, soul, and R&B, and Aminé’s flow within his raps are focused on silky, smooth, roll-off-your-tounge lyrics. The two together create music that makes you want to spark a joint, sit in a room with your closest friends, and just enjoy the present.
While that energy is pulled out throughout the album, it translates infinitely better on a live stage. After the opening song, the duo separated, with Kaytranada DJing on the upper floor of the stage, and Aminé focusing on crowd work on the lower floor. However, not once did they truly feel apart. The charisma flowed through the both of them, conjoining them as a true duo. Yet, there was no set. There were no dancers. It was just Kaytraminé and the audience. At one point, the two entities even shared a collective smoke break.
A vibe was shared, the music was experienced, and that’s something that will be remembered forever.