Danny Brown’s newest release Stardust takes the experimental rapper into a direction that can simply described as a fun time. After an emotionally charged, reflective album in Quaranta, the shift into a hyperpop medley just goes to show you can never predict where Danny is going to take us next. The Fillmore Silver Spring was tasked with containing the Detroit rapper in what was destined to be a largely lively show.
On April 23, the show started off with Chase USA, a fellow Detroit band with a healthy dose of emo rap rock. The vocalist ran onto stage in a zip up camo hoodie and a vintage military helmet with spikes. Despite this, you still would not expect the war that was to come. After warming us up with far more passion than one would expect from an opener to the opener, our commander requests we mosh or suffer the consequences. In the blink of an eye, he was down in the pit with us, leading by example like a true war hero. The trio on stage were allotted a criminally short window to make an impact and exceeded expectations without hesitation. It’s no wonder their merch line was as busy as it was at the end of the show.
Watch the official music video for “Set You Free” by Chase USA on YouTube:
Following the bombastic performance was Indiana’s own midwxst. Whether there was a strong contingency of his fans at the show or if Danny Brown fans are just trying to have a good time, the crowd was entirely engrossed in the emo trap rap coming from the stage. His act consisted of relentless pacing from corner to corner, as he delivered his introspective and often vulnerable lyrics packed with heavy thumping beats. His setlist was extremely accessible and flew by in an instant, a testament to the talent Danny has brought with him during the whole Stardust tour.
As Danny was preparing to take the stage, the black box eating up much of the center of the stage was finally uncovered, revealing the outline of a cube with color changing neon lights. Along comes our jacked hero, in crisp white skinny jeans and a thick cheetah print fur coat. Soon after his first song, Danny removes the fur coat to reveal the body transformation he’s gone through. Months and months prior to the tour, Danny began mentioning on his podcast that he was diving head first into his sobriety and taking a large leap into a healthier lifestyle. At 45, the legendary rapper looks healthier than ever and even appeared to be having more fun, too.
His athleticism translated into a remarkably active performance with endless dancing and jumping around the very wide stage. The increase in physical capacity in combination with the fast paced setlist resulted in such an energized, infectious display that was hard to not dance along with. The Femtanyl produced track “M3 N MIN3” led to one of Danny’s most passion filled moments, where he clearly was just enjoying one of his favorite artist’s work.
Stream “M3 N MIN3” by Fentanyl featuring Danny Brown on YouTube:
As Danny is extremely tapped into the up and coming hyperpop scene, he was able to collaborate with so many artists that ended up having a lot of their own commercial success at the same time as Stardust was released. Acts like underscores, Jane Remover, Quadeca, and Frost Children to name a few are all sprinkled across the album, with Danny doing a large number of features for others in the past year or so. It has felt like he’s doing whatever he thinks might be fun and that joy was so apparent in Silver Spring. Nearly all of his most popular songs at the moment are recent features he’s done on other people’s projects. A major feature being “OK OK” by Fred Again… which was met by the crowd with a frenzy of cheers.
Before Danny ended the show with a final song, he took the time to address the crowd, signing so many Vinyls while giving a heartfelt message to everyone who came. He reminded everyone that he did not get his first record deal until he was 30 and that it’s never too late for anyone to do what they love. 15 years into his professional career and Danny Brown is showing no signs of slowing down.
Here are some photos of Danny Brown performing live at The Fillmore Silver Spring on April 23, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Roman Meerzaman.
Here are some photos of midwxst opening Danny Brown at The Fillmore Silver Spring on April 23, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Roman Meerzaman.
Here are some photos of Chase USA opening Danny Brown at The Fillmore Silver Spring on April 23, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Roman Meerzaman.
