Let me try it again…
“You want child support get it out of your a– b—-“, roared through the club when Ice Cube started rapping.
No, again…
The Clipse, Tha Dogg Pound and Ice Cube all granted the New York crowd with their presence.
OK. Just one last time…
After years of focusing on Hollywood Ice Cube went back to remind his fans that he is still a rapper. ‘Laugh Now, Cry Later’ album tour packed BB King’s floor with fans gathered in somewhat of disbelief that Cube’s giving us new songs. After breaking away from Eazy and NWA Ice Cube stirred the kind of s— storm, no one even knew was possible. From ‘No Vaseline’, a diss written against Eazy and Dre, to just giving us classics like ‘Check Yo Self’, ‘Today was a Good Day’, ‘You Can Do It’ and many others, Ice Cube established himself as a solo rapper instantly. He’s also starred in a slew of movies like ‘Higher learning’, ‘Friday’ Barbershop’, ‘XXX’ and the hood classics like ‘Tresspass’ with Ice T, ‘Bullet’ with 2Pac, and the ultimate hood classic ‘Boyz ‘N the Hood’. Whether you are an Ice Cube fan or not you will have to admit that he’s shaped the gangsta rap like almost no other performer.
Combine that with Tha Dogg Pound and you got a classic show instantly. Daz Dillinger and Kurupt took the rap world and shaped it the way they saw fit from their Death Raw days to their solo career performances. They’ve got a number of songs with Snoop, Dre, 2Pac, Nate Dogg and so on. They also gave us several totally independent albums, proving that they don’t need other stars to help establish themselves.
The Clipse’s Malice and Pusha T are more than just ‘Pharell’s boys’. Performing under that name since 1992, they may have not put out many albums, but did manage to establish themselves as an independent duo.
So, the legendary tour came to NYC and opened with The Clipse. They were clearly happy to be performing alongside Tha Dogg Pound and Ice Cube and put on a great show. Having done what people expected from them – smooth classics, they took a bit of a harsher twist to it, considering the following acts.
Then Daz and Kurupt came on stage. They immediately rocked the crowd with their undying dedication to the art of gangsta rap. Unrolling the show was not a difficult mission for those guys. They’ve been making the fans drool over their onstage acts longer than some of their fans have lived. Throw in the fact that the CA guys don’t visit NYC very often and combine it with the truth of the fact that the old school gangsta rap is just about dead, and you’ve got yourself a crowd of crazed fans, appreciating every moment of every song.
Funkmaster Flex spun a few classics right before the last act and proved once again, why he is a NYC classic himself. He must be one of the most commercial and at the same time one of the most talented NYC DJs. Son of a Jamaican DJ he’s been spinning in NYC since the 80’s.
Then the main act: Ice Cube came on. He rapped a few songs we know well and love fully. He also went on to do 30-second segments from almost all of his classics and combined it into a non-stop rapping performance, which lasted a long time. After all, Ice Cube had a lot of classics to share with his fans. Then he did a couple of songs from his new album. ‘Why We Thugs’, from that album, is already a classic, getting massive play on radio stations all around the country. He reminded all that his ‘Laugh Now, Cry Later’ album is coming out on 666, or June 6th, 2006. he also put on a tad of theatrical performance, leaving the stage after one of the first songs, and only coming back after his hype man got the crowd yelling “F— Ice Cube.” Then he came back acting pissed off at everyone.
He roared the songs, cursed out the police, promoted unity between East Coast, West Coast and Southern rap and entertained the crowd throughout his entire set, without a 2 second break.
Lil’ John chilled by the turntables throughout Cube’s entire set. Then he got the mic and spit one on his own. Jermaine Dupree also came out on stage for a moment, but did not rap, he only showed his respects for the music idol.
After the show, the backstage scene showed all what it means to hang out with old school gangsta rappers. First, NYC, LA and even Atlanta classics got together. Meli Mel, Grandmaster Kaz, Lil’ John, Kurupt, Ice Cube and others, all gathered for a photo shoot.
Of course a group of people like that had to produce some incident. While it didn’t come from them or their entourages, it did end any prospect of an after-hours common gathering. An attack by one guest onto another, with plenty of blood spilled, caused Lil John and his crew depart via the service elevator and Ice Cube and his crew locked themselves in the VIP room with JD. Just like the situation during Lil Flip’s performance in MN, when the fans started so many fights in the crowd that the concert had to end. Just like Mobb Deep’s concert at the NYC’s Roxy, when MB’s crew had to fight against a small crowd of deranged spectators all the way from the stage to the entrance. Some music fans just don’t understand the concept of enjoying the show. Lyrics are taken too literally, hatred is spread all around and gangsta rap stops being there just for show or to display a message…
