Concert review: All-star rap bill keeps hip-hop conscious
Jul 20, 2007, 12:10 PM | by Norell Giancana
Categories: Music
There's been a lot of debate over the health of hip-hop, but on Wednesday at the Hot 97/Pepsi Superstar DJ semi-finals (hosted by DJ Enuff) at S.O.B.'s, even the most vehement doomsayers were transported back to a time when, like Ms. Jenkins, no one had better not say anying bad about hip-hop. Imagine Talib Kweli (pictured, right), Mos Def (left), Common, Kanye West and Q-Tip on stage giving it to you so good that you remember why you fell in love with hip-hop in the first place. The poster children of conscious rap/alt-hop may not have breathed new life into the music, but for at least 30 minutes, they resuscitated it.
Talib, Mos, and Common even aptly performed "Respiration," and the energy was incredible. "Escuchela, la ciudad respirando." They all fed off one another, getting more amped with each guest appearance. There were Swizz Beatz, Saigon, Rah Digga, Consequence, Drag-on, and even Queen Latifah. Yes, you heard me, Dana Owens even performed a few bars of "U.N.I.T.Y". But what really set the crowd ablaze wasn't Kanye's performance of his latest single "Can't Tell Me Nothin'," although it did receive appropriate hype from the crowd. No, it was Q-Tip's rendering of "Award Tour." Kanye looked more excited during the former Tribe member's song than any hardcore hip-hop head in the place — and there were many.
With no air conditioning, sweat dripping, heads bobbing, the audience
eagerly anticipated what each (pictured, left to right: Swizz Beatz, DJ Enuff, Saigon, Rene McLean, Common, Kanye West, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def) was going to offer to the cipher. And
with each hit performed and the greatness of each veteran artist taken
in, I really did believe that hip-hop was in fact alive and well. But
when it was time for the young ones to step to the mic, Saigon, Drag-on
(where have you been?!) made me remember why Nas said Hip-Hop Is Dead.
Rhymes about gun toting, gun clapppin', bitches, and money are dead
tired, but that's all these newcomers seem to know. They apparently
think that making large sums of money is the reason why hip-hop is
still kicking, but is that why anyone ever started making the music, or
why we listen? Maybe I'm being a purist or just an old fart, but I
appreciated being taken back to the place when hip-hop was not only
good music but also had something to say.
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