‘Never gonna stop yappin bout this’: Portland rapper’s energetic fest debuts at Edgefield

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An acclaimed Portland rapper invited fans to the outskirts of the city this past weekend for his first-ever music festival — an event he is “never gonna stop yappin bout,” according to one of the many brazen signs displayed during his set.

Adam Aminé Daniel, who performs as Aminé, held his inaugural The Best Day Ever festival at McMenamins Edgefield on Aug. 10 and Aug. 11.

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When organizers first revealed ticket costs for the event, some criticized the $225 price tag that covered just eight acts. The team later offered one-day passes and a buy-one-get-one deal to bolster sales.

In the end, the modest-yet-enticing artist lineup seemed to attract just the right amount of people who gathered in Troutdale to dance to music genres ranging from hip hop to alternative.

Doors opened at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, giving attendees an hour and a half to settle before local rapper 3WayHeff hit the stage for his first festival appearance. His high-energy set featured “bottle girls” from one of Portland’s most popular nightclubs Shake, and tracks from his late July project “BIRDZ.”

But the festival rookie wasn’t the only act to show off new music. Chicago native Ravyn Lenae sang tracks from her latest R&B album “Bird’s Eye,” which hadn’t been out for even 48 hours before her set.

Next, BadBadNotGood featured songs from its July 30 album “Mid Spiral.” Despite the jazz band only producing instrumentals, fans jammed along as if they felt every non-existent word.

However, Saturday headliner Kaytranada was the first performer to make the event feel like a full-blown dance party. The Montreal-raised DJ and producer electrified the crowd with his best-known tracks like “What You Need,” and his own mixes of popular tunes such as Beyoncé’s “Cuff It.”

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Toward the end of the set, Aminé joined the stage to perform “4EVA” — the debut single from the rapper-producer duo’s joint 2023 album.

The palpable energy from “KAYTRAMINé”’s resurgence continued on Sunday, with Aminé’s tour DJ Madison LST opening the final day. By the end of his set, an entourage had gathered on stage to sway to some of hip hop’s hottest tracks — and an exclusive, unreleased song from the Portland rapper behind the event.

The DJ’s performance was followed by another from Karrahbooo, who parted ways with music collective Concrete Boys just a couple of weeks ago. Because the rapper’s discography is in its early stages, her set included viral singles “Running Late,” “WHERE YO DADDY?” and a guest appearance from fellow Atlanta artist Anycia.

Toro y Moi was next on the lineup, with a setlist spanning from his more-than-two-decade-long career in music. The genre-bending singer-songwriter brought Portland artist Tron on stage to perform a song they first released in 2019.

Of course, Aminé’s performance was the last of appearances from Portland-raised artists. The Benson Polytechnic High School alumnus took the stage in a metallic green outfit, opening with the upbeat track “Charmander.”

His setlist also included many “deep cuts” — his own words — for the local fans who have supported him since before he rose to fame. In between songs, he told attendees he recorded his most notable hit “Caroline” at Portland State University before dropping out to pursue his music career.

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Outside of music, another highlight of the set were the many expressions that served as a backdrop for Aminé’s set. This included a nod to Portland’s beloved Thai barbecue restaurant Eem and a sign declaring that people from Beaverton, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Hillsboro and “Lake Ridge” are not from Portland — although Lakeridge High School isn’t its own city.

The rapper plans to organize the festival for years to come, although he made it a point to tell attendees they hold bragging rights as the first audience to witness The Best Day Ever.

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