Most of you who are reading this have probably heard of the insanely popular Broadway musical, Hamilton. What you might not know is that the Q Brothers have been bringing hip-hop to the stage for over 16 years, long before Lin-Manuel Miranda made American history seem so dope. Created by the Q Brothers and John Leguizamo, Othello: The Remix takes you on a Shakespearean ride of love, jealousy, and revenge through sick beats and uniquely talented rappers/performers. The play features four actors (who each play multiple characters on stage), one DJ, and a whole lot of rapping. I can honestly say, I was entertained from the second I walked until the curtains closed.

Othello: The Remix is an 80-minute, high-energy spin on Shakespeare's tragic tale proving that that Bard himself was the original master of rhythm and rhyme. The show features five cast members including GC (Iago/Brabantio), JQ (Roderigo/Loco Vito/Bianca), Jackson Doran (Cassio/Emilia), Postell Pringle (Othello) and DJ Supernova (DJ).

I didn't know what to expect when I was on my way to the show, but that all changed once I get inside Westside Theater. The DJ was scratching vinyl and playing classic hip-hop tracks to get the audience warmed up. He even had a few people dancing and bobbin' their heads (myself included). As someone who doesn't read a lot (or any) Shakespeare, I found the play completely relatable and modern. Hip-hop enthusiasts and non-hip-hop fans alike can enjoy this type of show as well. The rhymes from the actors were easy to digest and quick-witted. The actors were incredibly talented, both musically, and through their ability to play many characters, often switching costumes in mere seconds to assume an entirely different persona, and they rocked it. It was an interesting thing to do, having only four actors

It was an interesting thing to do, having only four actors, all men, perform multiple roles, including female roles. It made the female characters secondary to the male relationships, which was the main focus of this story. They certainly did an incredible job turning a tragedy into a comedy, too. The entire audience was cracking up the whole time.

I'm surprised hip-hop hasn't been the focus of more plays and musicals because the genre has always had a strong storytelling background. Although, since hip-hop music and everything that is involved with it has become mainstream over the past couple decades, I suppose it does make sense why this is happening now. Just like many rappers who use their music to tell their stories, Othello: The Remix uses rap to tell one of Shakespeare's classic stories. What makes it even more relevant is that Shakespeare had a focus on rhythm and rhyme in his writing, and a lot of rappers start out writing poetry.

What I enjoyed most about the show is that it made me laugh and it kept it hip-hop the entire show. If you're looking to save a lot of money, or want to see a great show, I'd recommend skipping Hamilton and grabbing a ticket for Othello: The Remix. Catch one of the upcoming shows at Westside Theatre in New York City.

Learn more about Othello: The Remix
www.othellotheremix.com
Facebook.com/OthelloRemix
Twitter.com/OthelloRemix
Instagram.com/OthelloRemix