Michael Way knows the game. At least, that’s what local Mighty Orphans rapper Eric Archer says about him while the two chat at Grookit, Way’s reopened bar. We’re not sure what that means. It’s probably connected with the golden era of hip-hop and being normal – two things important to Way.
Formerly Public, an underground music bar with hip-hop music, dance crew face-offs and experimental music projects, Grookit still has all of that, only now with a grander vibe. New Way-made furnishings and a more cohesive menu of American-Japanese fusion add to its character. “I like New York style,” Way tells us as Nas rhymes play from the speakers by the DJ booth. “I’m supplying homie food, special drinks.”
He brings out a Hokkaido (RMB50), a surprisingly light mixture of sake and vodka, which tastes refreshing after eating the tofu with bonito flakes and chives (RMB20-40). Next, we try the mojito (RMB50), lightly minty with just enough rum and not too much syrup, all poured over delicate crushed ice. Chicken with seven-taste powder (RMB50-80) is soft, crispy, a bit spicy and, thankfully, boneless.
Before our next order arrives, Way tells us that all the chefs and bartenders who work at Grookit are involved in some facet of hip-hop: a few produce, others MC, our own waiter does an impressive free flow when Archer starts beatboxing. “Your life should have normal music, normal drinks and normal food,” Way says. “People here should be normal.”
From this belief, Way built Grookit with his own hands. He bought a tree, chopped it up and made all of the tables and benches himself. He goes to the market and picks out the local produce used in the kitchen and imports other ingredients from Japan. He even made the abstract light fixtures from reclaimed metal materials and filament bulbs. For Way, this is normal, as much as serving high-quality yet decently priced food and playing throwback music from hip-hop’s heyday in the late 80s and early 90s.
“You don’t know Nas, you don’t know hip-hop,” he adds as an aside.
As we munch on the tempura vegetables (RMB20-40) and sip ginger-laden saketinis (RMB60), Way says that most weekends he has hip-hop artists come in and do shows, especially MPC sets. He wants the new version of the bar to be like Public was: a community meeting space where artists come together and collaborations happen naturally. “I don’t want to be new,” Way says. He just wants to be normal and golden, like good hip-hop.
Price: RMB100 for two drinks
Who’s going: Shenzhen’s hip-hop crowd (producers, photographers, rappers)
Good for: Hip-hop music, fusion cocktails, originality
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