http://www.suntimes.com/output/music/cst-ftr-anger13.html
Rap stars under the stars
July 13, 2005
BY DAVE HOFER Advertisement
If any members of the Anger Management 3 tour have anything to be upset about, it likely has to do with finding the time to count the money they must have raked in from the packed Tweeter Center Monday night. The show itself was billed almost like a neighborhood block party, but with such prolific acts as Eminem, Lil Jon and 50 Cent's G-Unit slated to appear, it was anyone's guess as to who would be onstage when.
Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz opened the show with their brand of bass-heavy crunk, which didn't translate so well in the still half-empty venue. The chaotic nature of their Southern hip-hop is more suited for the cramped afterparty than as the show opener in broad daylight
The G-Unit portion began with a drawn curtain revealing a post-apocalyptic banner featuring a desolate Brooklyn Bridge accompanied on stage right by a suspended, severed head of the Statue of Liberty. What 50 Cent and his pals were trying to convey is anyone's guess, but it made for a fantastic gangsta jungle gym with its two levels and various entrances and exits. Awkwardly descending via harness from the top of the statue's head, 50 made his entrance, struggled to free himself from the harness and rolled into the first of many songs from "Beg for Mercy," his collaborative effort with Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, all of whom were in attendance.
Surprisingly devoid of trash-talking regarding recently departed (again) G-Unit member Game, the set's pros outweighed the cons. Though video screens displayed inane images of guns firing and rims spinning, the crew kept stereotypical rap concert banter ("Let's see which side of the crowd is the loudest," etc.) to a minimum, marched through a countless number of past hits (including megasmash "P.I.M.P.") and proved that though the rappers have quickly risen to the level of arena headliner, they were able to work the gargantuan stage and keep the fans interested. A two-song guest spot from recent G-Unit label signing Mobb Deep seemed almost unfair to the hip-hop veterans, but even a short appearance from the underrated group is exciting.
When the curtains parted again, they revealed a bigger, more intricate stage setup for Eminem's portion of the show. Ten giant double doors (spread over three levels) were interspersed with video screens that made the set look like a church while displaying various graphics for his band, D12. Another set of organized chaos ensued after the Detroit native and peroxide advocate played the anti-Bush anthem "Mosh," which seemed somewhat dated eight months after the president's re-election.
Rap's favorite white guy took us on a tour of the hits, using the middle of the set as a chance to perform D12's singles as well as give some time to the individual members for their solo endeavors. Needless to say, this didn't go over as well as the more familiar Eminem material that people had paid to see, so when he returned to the stage and hit the crowd with the one-two combo of "Stan" and "The Way I Am," bedlam ensued.
Just by taking a look at the huge crowd at the Tweeter Center on Monday night, it's easy to say that hip-hop isn't losing any steam. If at least a majority of mainstream acts can work the stage this well, the concertgoing public has nothing to worry about.
Rap stars under the stars
July 13, 2005
BY DAVE HOFER Advertisement
If any members of the Anger Management 3 tour have anything to be upset about, it likely has to do with finding the time to count the money they must have raked in from the packed Tweeter Center Monday night. The show itself was billed almost like a neighborhood block party, but with such prolific acts as Eminem, Lil Jon and 50 Cent's G-Unit slated to appear, it was anyone's guess as to who would be onstage when.
Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz opened the show with their brand of bass-heavy crunk, which didn't translate so well in the still half-empty venue. The chaotic nature of their Southern hip-hop is more suited for the cramped afterparty than as the show opener in broad daylight
The G-Unit portion began with a drawn curtain revealing a post-apocalyptic banner featuring a desolate Brooklyn Bridge accompanied on stage right by a suspended, severed head of the Statue of Liberty. What 50 Cent and his pals were trying to convey is anyone's guess, but it made for a fantastic gangsta jungle gym with its two levels and various entrances and exits. Awkwardly descending via harness from the top of the statue's head, 50 made his entrance, struggled to free himself from the harness and rolled into the first of many songs from "Beg for Mercy," his collaborative effort with Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, all of whom were in attendance.
Surprisingly devoid of trash-talking regarding recently departed (again) G-Unit member Game, the set's pros outweighed the cons. Though video screens displayed inane images of guns firing and rims spinning, the crew kept stereotypical rap concert banter ("Let's see which side of the crowd is the loudest," etc.) to a minimum, marched through a countless number of past hits (including megasmash "P.I.M.P.") and proved that though the rappers have quickly risen to the level of arena headliner, they were able to work the gargantuan stage and keep the fans interested. A two-song guest spot from recent G-Unit label signing Mobb Deep seemed almost unfair to the hip-hop veterans, but even a short appearance from the underrated group is exciting.
When the curtains parted again, they revealed a bigger, more intricate stage setup for Eminem's portion of the show. Ten giant double doors (spread over three levels) were interspersed with video screens that made the set look like a church while displaying various graphics for his band, D12. Another set of organized chaos ensued after the Detroit native and peroxide advocate played the anti-Bush anthem "Mosh," which seemed somewhat dated eight months after the president's re-election.
Rap's favorite white guy took us on a tour of the hits, using the middle of the set as a chance to perform D12's singles as well as give some time to the individual members for their solo endeavors. Needless to say, this didn't go over as well as the more familiar Eminem material that people had paid to see, so when he returned to the stage and hit the crowd with the one-two combo of "Stan" and "The Way I Am," bedlam ensued.
Just by taking a look at the huge crowd at the Tweeter Center on Monday night, it's easy to say that hip-hop isn't losing any steam. If at least a majority of mainstream acts can work the stage this well, the concertgoing public has nothing to worry about.
