Erick The Architect aka Erick Arc Elliot aka Skinny Light, the man behind the sounds of the Flatbush Zombies, stepped out on his own for the first time since the trio burst on to the hip-hop scene with his first full-length solo album, I’ve Never Been Here Before, and the Mandevillain Tour in support of it.

He made his DC stop recently at Union Stage for all the DMV members of the Zombie gang to come out.

Opener Sol Chyld, who was unknown to me before the show, definitely made a fan of me and anyone else who’d never heard of her after warming up the crowd at Union Stage on April 1.

Erick hit the stage dressed like a character from the Matrix in a floor length leather coat, huge Balenciaga moon boots and black shades, holding a Fedex envelope. He tore it open to find an old flip phone that rang as soon as he discovered it and after a quick convo with the mystery man on the phone hyping him up, Erick welcomed everyone out to the Mandevillan Tour. 

We might be in the DMV but Erick said he was taking everyone to Flatbush and began to describe his up bringing in the very Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn. Growing up in a household with all of his family members and how the different music they each played around the house inspired him to become the architect of music. Arc took us from room to room in his childhood home introducing us to his family’s members and playing snippets of the music that they’d introduced him to in between performing songs. From soul and funk to reggae, jazz, and hip hop each of the sounds shaped his sound and the type of artist he’s become. 

Erick and his two woman band the “Archangels” started the show at the top of the album with “2-3 Zone” and  “Parkour” made his way through the entire project while mixing in records from his EP “Futureproof” that released in 2021 towards the end of the night. Records like “Ambrosia,” “Jammy Jam,” and “Neue Muse” turned the show into a house party, while “Colette” and “Mandevillan” had the hip-hop heads nodding and wavin their hands in the air.

The ballad “Leukemia/AM” told the story of Erick’s journey from an emotionally abusive relationship with his ex-girlfriend to his current loving and happy one, lead into the slower vibes of songs like “Ezekiel’s Wheel” and “Liberate” that had the whole room swaying from side to side.

Watch Erick The Architect’s video for “Instincts” ft. West$ide Boogie

The show felt intimate throughout the entire night, as he told stories about his mom cooking while listening to James Brown or Parliament, his uncle smoking cigarettes in his underwear and cursing while listening to reggae and knowing the difference between his older brother’s sex playlist and when it was safe to come in and play video games. Arc finished the show off with “Breaking Point,” the psychedelic slow jam about reaching your lowest till you just can’t take it anymore, before he  suddenly walking off of the stage saying “That’s it. That’s the show, I’m out…going to go take a sh***.” Everyone laughed and looked around before realizing he’d really left, and immediately the “Er-ick!” and “Encore” chants started up. He quickly made a u-turn asking the room “Oh y’all not done?” 

Stream Erick The Architect’s first solo album “I’ve Never Been Here Before” on Spotify:

Erick played one final song “Let It Go” from the Futureproof EP before actually ending the night and letting everyone know that the “He raps well for a producer” chatter about the Architect on social media and the blogs is over. He thanked everyone for being a part of his community and supporting him as before jumping off of stage and into the audience to take pictures with people and sign autographs. He ended up stayed until the venue was completely empty, taking out the time to talk to every single person that chose to stick around. They always say you shouldn’t meet your favorite artists but the Architect proved he’s exactly the same person he presents in his music.

The Mandevillain Tour is just getting started and will wrap up its USA leg on May 5 on in Santa Cruz, California, before heading to Europe. Make sure to catch the Architect while you can.

Below are some more photos from Erick the Archtecht’s performance at Union Stage on April 1, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of AJ Waugh (wauffleznotwaffles.com).