Through a haze of flashing strobe lights and pounding bass, 2Hollis burst onto the stage at Paradise Rock Club on Jan. 24 to the deafening screams of a sold-out crowd. The 933-person venue, packed with teenagers and young adults in Opium-inspired all-black oversized outfits, teemed with excitement for the 20-year-old singer, rapper, and producer.
For the uninitiated, 2Hollis is a phenomenon on the rise—a genre-defying blend of pop, rap, and electronic chaos that earned him an opening act on Ken Carson’s “The Chaos Tour.” His aesthetic and collaborations with artists from Playboi Carti’s Opium label have cemented his place in the emerging “rage rap” scene, a subgenre known for its wild energy and rabidly loyal fans. But his journey to headliner status hasn’t been without its struggles.
“Rage rap fans are a notoriously tough crowd,” 2Hollis admitted in a past interview with British magazine The Face, recalling his experience touring with Ken Carson. Booed off stage multiple times during that tour, he persevered. “I was just like: ‘You know what? Fuck this. I’m going to keep pushing it, because they’re going to get it.’ And it worked.” Fast forward to this night in Boston: the transformation was undeniable. The same chaotic mosh pit that once rejected him now fully embraced him, with fans screaming every lyric as if their lives depended on it.
2Hollis’s setlist spanned his growing discography, drawing from studio albums 2 and boy while featuring hit singles “jeans,” “gold,” and “trauma.” Despite the aggressive, in-your-face style typical of the rage rap genre, each track blended seamlessly into the next.
The opening act from Nate Sib, a hyper-pop artist, was a refreshing surprise for many 2Hollis fans. Nate Sib was an addition to 2Hollis’s 2025 North American Tour, which features sold-out venues from Toronto to Melbourne. Experimenting to find his sound, Nate Sib bridges alternative pop with dubstep and other electronic genres, creating a melodic alternative to 2Hollis’s unfettered energy. The Los Angeles-based artist was a new sight for many viewers, but by the end of the night, 2Hollis fans were sure to have Nate Sib songs queued on Spotify.
But the night’s highlight was the debut of 2Hollis’s new song, “All of the Lights.” Sampling Kanye West’s iconic track of the same name, the song is a high-octane reimagining that pays homage to its predecessor while injecting 2Hollis’s distinctively chaotic twist. It’s a bold move to sample such a legendary song, but 2Hollis made it his own. Disregarding his critics, 2Hollis’s “All of the Lights” solidified his commitment to his unique musical style, letting his fans find him—and find him they did. Many in the crowd seemed to know the lyrics already, belting them out in unison as though the track had been out for months.
Despite the chaos of the night, 2Hollis’s performance was anything but unpolished. His stage presence was magnetic, a mix of youthful defiance and polished showmanship. The production—a blend of fog, strobe lights, and thunderous bass—amplified the raw intensity of his music. In front of the brightly lit stage, the silhouettes of hundreds of avid fans moved in unison. The lights flashed across the crowd and illuminated ecstatic faces while the thundering bassline reverberated through the club. 2Hollis has not only found his footing but is carving out his place in the music world.
There is a kind of poetic irony in 2Hollis’s journey. Once admonished by the same people he now captivates, his show at Paradise Rock Club was a testament to his resilience. At just 20 years old, he’s turned skepticism into adoration, proving that he’s here to stay. As the crowd poured out of the club into the cold Boston night, it was clear they had just witnessed the rise of a star who thrives in the chaos he creates.
Jonah Karafiol ’26 (managingeditor@harvardindependent.com) is the Managing Editor of the Independent. Alejandro Sanchez ’26 (alejandrosanchez@college.harvard.edu) is the Associate Sports Editor of the Independent.