In a world full of unique musicians and creative minds, finding versatile people with charisma and unique attributes remains extremely difficult. While artists such as Keke Palmer and Donald Glover stand out as multiskilled visionaries in the mainstream, Zack Fox deserves flowers for his eccentric personality. From starting his career as a comedian on Twitter to releasing music and starring in the Emmy-winning TV show Abbott Elementary, Fox knows how to amaze audiences with his distinctive persona. When Fox announced his North American tour August 2023, fans rushed to buy tickets and witness his shenanigans.
“In all honesty, I really like the beats that he uses and his overall musicality. Songs such as ‘fafo’ are just the type of songs you have to quickly skip when your mom is in the car,” magnet senior Ndiya Onuoha said.
November 11, Fox returned to his hometown and performed in the Heaven section of Atlanta’s Masquerade. Before the opening act, Sky Jetta shocked the crowd with her remarkable DJ skills. Fox decided to mess with his audience by screening John Singleton’s “Baby Boy” as smooth music played in the background. After an hour of watching Tyrese Gibson and Taraji P. Henson act their hearts out, Jetta came onto the stage with her laptop and an amazing setlist. From transitioning “SkeeYee” by Sexyy Red to “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco and playing classics such as “m.A.A.d. city” by Kendrick Lamar and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1” by Kanye West, the crowd became enamored with her energy and musical taste. As she also wanted to showcase solidarity for Palestine, Jetta dedicated Chief Keef’s song “I Don’t Like” to Israel. She ended her setlist with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana and sat at the front of the stage while telling the audience to sing along.
After Jetta’s stellar performance, the crowd waited anxiously for Fox as “Baby Boy” continued broadcasting. The lights suddenly dimmed and the prolific artist finally walked out, thanking his fans for coming to the show and making them perform a guided meditation. Fox made his fans take a deep breath in through their noses and out through their mouths as calming synths played through the speakers and, shortly after, he performed the fan-favorite banger titled “The Bean Kicked In.” With bizarre lyrics regarding melanin and Rihanna, the jack-of-all-trades performer ran across the stage as he rapped along with the audience.
Between various songs, Fox would discuss topics in a comedic fashion as surreal synth noises looped in the venue’s speakers. After performing aggressive tracks such as “uhhh” and “bane”, he would sporadically rant about the sexuality spectrum and his reasoning for calling light-skinned people “daywalkers.” He even talked about how he met Malia Obama and saluted her—his fans erupted in laughter after every bizarre statement he made.
The concert remained hilarious due to his stage presence, even when he allowed his close friends Ethereal and Father to take the stage and perform their songs. Fox, Father and Archibald Slim performed the track “Let’s Kick His A**!” and fans nodded their heads as the comical lyrics meshed with the relaxed instrumental. Fox and his friends curated music for several years and witnessing the group come together and trade lines with each other felt sincere and genuine. The award-nominated actor also loves introducing his fans to underground artists on his radar, and he allowed Atlanta native h1mward to perform his single “TDC.”
“As soon as I walked into the Masquerade, I could feel Zack Fox’s aura surround me like a loving embrace of a mother. My glorious Nubian king Zack Fox’s show changed my life for the better and never have I been changed by a live performance like this. ‘fafo’ and ‘IHY2LN’ were especially touching to me [sic],” McEachern High School senior Braedon Belfast said.
As the concert concluded, Fox noticed that audience members brought a flag that read “Free Palestine” for him before he performed his humorous song “Jesus Is The One (I Got Depression).” Fox suddenly wrapped the flag around him and told his fans about the oppression that currently torments countries such as Palestine and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Audience members chanted for the freedom of oppressed nations; Only an artist like Fox could ever foster activism like this. In a world full of injustice and cruelty, people need laughter and comedy to live their everyday lives. Whether Fox performs in a cramped Atlanta venue or showcases his acting talents on prominent shows, this artist continues to bring smiles to audiences nationwide.
