Jay-Z Concert Recap

This past weekend I was afforded the opportunity by a very cool cool cool person to go see Jay-Z live in concert at Penn State University. This was his first stop on his new tour. Let me tell you, there’s something about a concert with a guy who only performs hits. I don’t think there was a single song that everyone didn’t know all the words to.

The concert started with this counter, which I thought was a very gaudy idea. But then as the counter neared zero I realized that idea was the most brilliant concert idea ever. The crowd got so hyped. I was wondering how I was going to react to seeing the greatest rapper of all time. I didn’t really have a chance to react until the end of the concert because it was so fast paced and action packed.

I should mention, Jai Cole, Wale and N.E.R.D. were the opening acts and they did pretty awesome sets.

I realized just how much of a lyrical lexicon, or I was reminded Jay-Z is. He broke down the words to Thank You acapella and I couldn’t help but admire the lyrics:

“I was gonna kill a couple rappers
But they did it to themselves
I was gon' do it with the flow
But they did it with their sales
I was gon' 9/11 'em, but they didn't need the help
And they did a good job them boys is talented as hell
Cuz not only did they brick they put a building up as well
They ran a plane into that building and when that building fell
Ran to the crash site with no masks and inhaled
Toxins deep inside their lungs until both of them was filled
Blew a cloud out like a L into a jar then took a smell
Cuz they heard that second hand smoke kills
Niggas thought they was ill found out they was...ILL
And it's like you knew exactly how I wanted you to feel”

He did my second favorite song, I really didn’t expect to hear my favorite. My favorite Jay-Z song is, What More Can I Say… but my second favorite is Encore. This was the last song he performed so that was pretty BAWSE. All in all, I rekindled my appreciation for Jay after that concert, but realized that he is really passing the torch at this point. The concert was CRAZY and I don’t think that too many artists can compete with that concert from a content or production standpoint. A good time was had by all.

To be honest, Jay-Z in my mind is the greatest rapper of all time. Will there ever be another? I do not know. I think that Jay-Z benefits from the Jordan complex. His timing was impecable, the globalization of hip hop, the crossover into other genres of music, the acceptance of it being mainstream, and then being the best at that time puts Jay-Z in a position where he dictates and has dictated the pace for so many years. That type of timing won't come along again. He's also like Jordan because he's not the best at any category but he does them all well.