bReview: 2hollis
Wednesday 18 February 2026 at the Powerstation
Written by: Luke van Oorsouw
Boring. Bland. Simplistic. Low-energy. All of the words I have listed here are the absolute LAST choice of words I would use to describe Hollis Parker Frazier-Herndon's euphoric Star Tour concert down at The Powerstation in Mount Eden. If you don't know who that is and that name doesn't sound all that familiar to you, he's better known as 2hollis. Hopefully, that alias might ring some bells.
A protege of former emo vocalist and dubstep icon Skrillex, 2hollis’ sound is a strongly trap-infused take on electronic music. Incorporating just as many elements of rage rap as he does chiptuned or bass-heavy melodies, his soft, breathy vocal range and cadence complements the intensity of his beats in a very unique way, and with his tracks drawing in millions of listeners all over the world, it's clear to see why this superstar is appreciated by pop enthusiasts, the new generation of hip-hop heads and ravers equally.
Opening up for 2hollis was Rommulas, a reggaeton artist and long-time friend who frequently collaborated with him while he went by the name of “Drippysoup” before rising to fame. Much like 2hollis, he has built on the core elements of trap and EDM music, but with a Latin-American twist.
One thing that separates him from other reggaeton artists is his rawness: in a genre that is ultimately very polished and clean in terms of production right down to fashion, he takes the cleanliness and throws it all away, exchanging it for dirty basses, distorted synths and scuffed autotuned vocals, giving reggaeton the edge that most of artists in the genre lack. Clad shirtless in a pair of skinny jeans and a studded belt while a Mexican flag hung from his microphone, Rommulas rapped and sang in both English and Spanish as speakers shook and people swayed from side to side, cheering as he paced left to right on stage. Songs like “Rosa” and “Feeling Like” really made me think that this guy could be a Playboi Carti-esque figure; a true trendsetter that could be one of the first to bring the distorted rawness of modern trap to a genre that is otherwise very glossy and polished, often to a fault.
A brief silence was felt as lights dimmed and 2hollis made his way to the stage. The lights slowly became brighter, and once again the crowd erupted. Taking the stage in a white CDG polo and black pants, 2hollis truly did get the room moving with his song “poster boy”, a somewhat motivational tune that talks about boldness and willingness to stand out in order to achieve greater creative success. Shortly after this anthem was performed, he followed it up with his song “trauma”. Known for its noisy synth leads, lyrics about escapism and rapid-fire hi-hats, the song had people jumping even harder, as screams of excitement were heard from every corner.
Throughout the concert, his setlist was a true showcase of what he does best. Be it the sensual flow he raps with in “style”, the more syncopated cadence used in the track “gold", or the more EDM-heavy tracks including “nerve” and “crush” that his voice would glide over as the beats would stay filled to the brim with rawstyle kicks, he truly had performed songs that highlighted his many creative strengths as an artist. One thing that truly makes an artist a generational talent is their ability to diversify their sound. In the midst of the high-energy electronic rage, he would occasionally tone it down, so much so to the point where he pulled out a somewhat melancholic and downtrodden ballad called “eldest child” from his “star” album, reflecting on the pressure and stress he faced growing up as the oldest child in his family, balancing personal desires with high expectations set by his parents, showing a much more vulnerable side of 2hollis that I had not seen before. Although I am a much bigger fan of his more trap-oriented stuff and some of his more electronic material that 2hollis is known for, I couldn't help but also show appreciation for this heartfelt unplugged number.
In terms of the overall environment, everything else paled in comparison to “jeans”, 2hollis' most popular number, as he performed it not one, not two, not three, but four times back to back, each repetition of the famous tune hyping the crowd up more and more. The ground quaked as people from every corner jumped in unison. You would think the crowd would get sick of it after a while - but, if anything, it had quite the opposite effect. I guess that's just what happens when someone has cemented themselves with an anthem that won't be forgotten any time soon.
Overall, what I had witnessed was more than just a concert, but rather a shift in culture. This “rave-rap” sound, while not as common as the more traditional sounds heard in rap music or hip-hop may be, is definitely starting to make its mark, not just on the underground music scene, but also in a mainstream sense. I've always been aware of the fact that rap and EDM have always borrowed from one another - but they usually did in very subtle ways, or in ways which had taken the rawness out of each respective genre to be more palatable for pop charts. Nowadays, we have reached a point where both styles can not just blend, but fuse into its own thing. Things have truly become more experimental in the past half-decade. Whether you love or despise this long-haired, androgynous pretty-boy, there is no denying that this sound will make an impact (that is, if it hasn't already). I think the shift is happening, and it might be more than a meek few-year-long fad.
95bFM 
