FreshJamzOnline

Juiced up by: M-Cubed

Walking into the most anticipated hip hop concert to hit VanCity in recent years I felt amped and ready for action.

Skip to the end of the night, walking out of the concert I felt odd and out of sorts. Now it might have been the huge flashing stage lights that pierced my corneas, or it might have been the constant punishment on my eardrums from the heavy bass and screaming. It even may have even been the inhalation of “second-hand” marijuana from the 20 people “tokin’ up” around me.

But nope, none of that stuff was the reason why I was knocked off my usual solid state of mind. I had just witnessed 2 of the best in the hip hop game lay it all out and tear up the stage in my hometown – and gat damn was it krazy! On a cold, rainy Wednesday night, an almost sell out crowd made the trip to see Kanye West and Ludacris rip it up, and did they ever.

It was unfortunate that I was unable to make it in time for Emmanuel, but no matter - I was there for the main courses:

LUDACRIS

Now, if you walked into the concert halfway through and had no idea who Luda was or heard any of his tracks before, 10 seconds later you woulda been bobbin’ your head and throwin’ your hands up. With the tunes bumpin’ and Luda whipping out all the hits, the crowd was in a frenzy.

The ATL native, accompanied by a fellow posse member worked the crowd well and even at one point called out the people sittin’ down to promptly “Stand Up” before goin’ into his hit of the same name. A few songs in, I thought his spot was aight - until he started to jog the memory and take it back to his oldies like “Southern Hospitality” and “Roll Out,” and “What’s Your Fantasy.” Luda set it off right and with a surprisingly entertaining display of spinning mastery by Luda’s DJ, the mood was set for “Kan The Louis Vuitton Don”

KANYE WEST

You know you’re at the top of the game when you got a hip hop heavyweight like Ludacris as your OPENER! THAT’S UNREAL! Kanye West, who is arguably the top hip hop artist to date, showed he’s there for good reason. Oct.17/2007 would mark his second stint in VanCity and man did we roll out the welcome wagon. An almost capacity crowd rocked out to the hip hop stylings of Mr.West all night long, and threw their hands up in unison to the beat of his jams. The Windy City Whiz Kid kicked off the show with tracks mostly off his new album “Graduation”. Realizing that most there weren’t that familiar with it yet, he brought it back to all his hits off his previous 2 albums.

Some of the fan favorites off his new album were “Champion” and “Good Life” – with the latter causing an uproar of screams once the opening lines were heard. One of the illest parts of the concert was his lyrical freestyle after he performed “I Wonder”. Completely in the zone, Kanye reeled off line after line and rhyme after rhyme to silence to crowd in shock and awe. At that moment, I realized that Kanye is easily one of the best lyricists ever to grace a mic. He would vanish into the smoke and darkness after performing “Jesus Walks”, only to pop out for his final number “Stronger”. Donning his 80’s style plastic sunglasses from the video, a reflective/glow in the dark jacket and his signature white colored microphone, he would end his show with the same passion and energy as with when he started it.

VanCity is privileged to have such exciting hip hop talents grace us with their presence. Their stellar performances most certainly prove that in the world of hip hop and rap, the fans are definitely livin’ the good life.

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