They have long had cult status: The rap trio was once again scheduled to perform an “Only for Women” concert. We were there.
It’s Sunday, March 8th – Feminist Struggle Day, also known as International Women’s Day. Thousands of people have been gathering on the streets of Berlin all day long to fight for equality and women’s rights. While the demo platoons are still made up of a mix of men, women and everything in between and outside, not a single man can be seen in the Uber Arena in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in the evening.
With the exception of three rappers (and a DJ) in beautiful Swan Lake costumes and elaborate make-up: KIZ are playing, like every year, their extraordinary “For Women Only” concert, which – as the name suggests – can only be attended by women. After the hip-hop formation lost its way to Hamburg or Paris in recent years, they are now back in their homeland and playing in a sold-out hall in front of 17,000 women.
An honorless evening with KIZ in Berlin
The trio from Berlin enters the stage to the cracking beats of “VIP in der Psychiatry” – and is hardly recognizable. Nico, Tarek and Maxim all wear white tutus based on the ballet “Swan Lake”. There is also elaborate make-up and carefully draped wigs.
The stage design also stays true to the motto: in the middle of the stage there is a large moon, surrounded by a classic “Swan Lake” set. With the track “Ehrenlos” the rappers set the tone for the rest of the evening. The entire crowd is immediately up to speed and shouts the band’s lyrics with fervor into the venue.
“Above all, it’s nice not to be playing in front of men,” notes Maxim – whereupon the screams from the crowd become even louder. The atmosphere is unique – of course when only women are present.
Women rule the Uber Arena
With “Böhse Mädchen” KIZ play an old classic from the HAHNENKAMPF record, before Maxim is suddenly left alone on stage by his colleagues and performs an ode to beer. The rapper preaches “that women also have the right to drink a cold beer” and “Drinking beer knows no gender,” before, at the request of the fans, he grabs a can of ext and shouts the song “Beer” into the microphone.
A little later, Tarek comes back to the stage and asks all 17,000 fans to squat. With the beat drop of the aggressive track “Filmriss” everyone’s arms fly into the air and an ecstasy breaks out that only KIZ can cause. As always, the three Berlin boys deliver an unforgettable show that demands all my strength after just an hour.
A sequence of songs from GÖRLITZER PARK offers a short breather. While the group performs “Sensibel” and “Görlitzer Park”, a huge line of fans gathers directly behind me to get their next beer. The hall has certainly rarely sold as much liquid gold as is sold here.
However, if you take too much time, you will miss the men’s glorious appearance a little later in a large swan construct that carries the rappers through the crowd while they play the mega hit “Hurray the World Is Ending”. What follows is a perfectly curated setlist with tracks like “Geld wie ein Magnet”, “Tsetsefliegemann (Skit)” and a remix of “Spasst” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic”.
KIZ concert instead of queuing in front of the club
The next moment the KIZ concert in the Uber Arena turns into a huge dance party. The group leaves their DJ alone on the stage. He plays a set that you would perhaps expect to find in one of the clubs on the neighboring RAW premises.
“Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” by RAYE, “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson and several other party hits make the Drunken Masters DJ’s performance one of the many highlights of the concert on International Women’s Day. I have rarely seen women as carefree and euphoric during a gig as they were that evening.
When aggressive rap meets ballet
After the song “Family Party” the curtain closes on the stage for a short time before the melody of the classic “Neuruppin” begins and KIZ enter the stage again.
But not alone: Numerous ballet dancers appear with them, accompanying the last songs with artistic dances and thus allowing two worlds to collide. While Nico, Maxim and Tarek rap “I fuck you (all)” to the beat of “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé, the dancers float gracefully behind them.
The crowning conclusion – as with every gig by the group – is the classic “A Monkey and a Horse” followed by an electric version. This evening she ensures that 17,000 women completely tear down the Uber Arena in Berlin for the last time.
With a joint bow modeled on a theater or ballet performance, KIZ and the dancers bid the fans farewell into the Berlin night, which can hardly get any better after this concert experience. And once again it becomes clear why the “Women Only” shows have long since achieved cult status.
