with stadium style seating a open floor, but only holds about 1500 people and not one person sitting still, every single head on extra hard nod with more than 90% of the venue singing every single word, flow, verse verbatim and that still does not describe the first show in detail.Kweli hit the stage and blessed the audience with selections from Ear Drum to vintage tracks from the Black Star days. The crowd quickly warmed up to him and showed the appreciation spitting back at him the lyrical fire that was being sprayed. The unusual suspects were delivered but surprise bangers like 'The Perfect Beat" mixed into the original "Sound of the Police" - KRS One that just made the crowd go bananas, Move Somethin and Definition (yah yall not ready) . The homage tributes continued the set DJ (forgive me forgot the name) slid in some Mr. Robert Nesta Marley that just added full completion to the intro. No one was prepared for the finishing act "Get By" nuff said - Nas was given the rightful set up with a introduction that only another headliner could provide. *Off topic* Yo definitely appreciate the chance to watch the second set from backstage...far from the superstar ego that has plauged many in this industry...My peoples and I appreciate it again *Back On Topic*....
* Side Bar - Second show yall missed out -- why did Rival even add a second show - The venue sold out but the crowd was dead as hell - I digress *
Back to the first show...fast forward to Green Lantern...he didn't have to do much to ignite the already gasoline doused crowd that blew the hell up when God Son hit the stage taking a bat to the dome with the first song being Nig*er. Album dropped two weeks ago, but you would of never known because we still spit every line. In the words of Nas from last night "...We have History together..." and God Son took us on a walk from the young, hungry illmatic and It W
as Written days, club bangers from Nastradomus, Street Disciples, God Son, and more. Selections like "If I Ruled the World", "N.Y. State of Mind", "Street Dreams", "Hip Hop is Dead", "Shoot Em Up", "Hate Me Now"...songs for the ladies like "Oochie Wally", and audience driven tracks like "Bravehearts" and "One Mic" (meaning we spit more than Nas). Much like Talib's set, the only thing expected was the unexpected and Nas definitely delivered "...For the People". The audience chanted songs we wanted to hear that were off the set list more than likely and Nas never disappointed. Energy? There was enough electricity that the venue could of been powered just by pure excitement. I mean there was even a track that he refused to do but as Nas said "I am here for the people...let's do this" ended the set with a big ass laugh a 2 line spit and exit stage left... No need to know what it was should of been at the show. The mere fact we heard the beat was satisfying enough for the crowd.Hip Hop is dead and Urban Radio/Backdoor Payola killed it but as long as we have Nas and Kweli doing what they do and not giving a f*ck about the media and hatrics I mean critics, yo there could be some sort of resuscitate to the genre. There is no need to say this is "Real Hip Hop" because they other stuff is just rap (I listen to the rap out there at times you gotta hit Mickey D's every now and again to get a dose of grease...lol)
*Back to the second show* Yo they were dead in my opinion they should of just did one show and let the artist run their allotted limits because it was not worth it ... Again my opinion. Talib and Nas both did their thing yet again but it was like performing infront of the Idol judges no energy, no excitement, simple reactions of "I am just here cuz my homeboy said they were good". I commend those dudes for still delivering after seeing the first set's audience blow the damn roof off the house I am sure it was all worth it for them.
(photos: Talib Kweli - taken from Slynation.com; Nas - Ajc.com)
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