What's Fresh...?
Summer Jam 2008...Where do I start...? Maybe from the beginning...
(Don't forget to check the pictures at the bottom!!!)
I entered "Fashionably Late" as Ray J was leaving the stage (maybe I was better off that way...) Alicia Keys looked gorgeous as she slowly brought Wu-Tang members Raekwon the Chef, Method Man, and Ghostface to the stage who then proceeded to rip it apart. Method man also decided to mosh and jump out into numerous sections of the crowd.
T-Pain started off with his usual ridiculous dancing and huge top hat, but offered a great performance with the likes of Akon, Rick Ross, Shawty Lo, Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, and probably more people I forgot but must not be that important.
D-Block started off on the stage as simply a group of two...and I was slowly getting upset as 4 or 5 songs went by with no sign of Jadakiss. He randomly popped up on the stage with Fabolous and Red Cafe to do the "Paper Touchin' (remix)" and Sheek and Styles brought out LL Cool J as well. I'd just also like to note that DJ Kid Capri effed up a couple times...but hey what can you do?
Lil' Wayne was quite ridiculous as one could imagine. He performed a song titled "The Pussy Monster" half A cappella and then partially with one of his goons beat boxing (who was a horrible beat boxer at that). Half way through the song he decided his chains were tangled, stopped the whole show, and spent about 90 seconds trying to untangle 9 diamond encrusted necklaces. I'm sure anyone past the 20th row had no idea what was going on because the stage was silent and motionless. Eventually he gave up and just pulled all his chains and his shirt off and decided to continue "The Pussy Monster." The highlight of his performance had to be pulling out Kanye for the "Lollipop (remix)" who ran out with a new color-way of the "Nike Air Yeezys" and a sick Murakami Louis Vuitton suitcase.
The highlight of the night and hands down the best performance I've ever witnessed was Kanye West. I'm almost positive he spent more money on Fireworks than Hot 97 could have paid him. His stage design, presence, and total performance was insane. The live band changed every track to a new experience and his vocal effects throughout were incredible. It's almost impossible to describe because words just do not do it justice. I highly recommend everyone jump at the chance to see this man perform.
Public Enemy was set to close the show after Kanye (who seemed a little upset by that). The group, quite frankly, spent way to much time on the stage. Chuck D continuously reminded the crowd that the youth is the future and preached "Fight the Power" as one would expect. The message was not at all the problem but the delivery was over the top, kind of like one of those cheesy infomercials that say the telephone number over and over to drill it into memory.
DJ Envy swore up and down that no one should leave after Public Enemy performed because there was a special surprise performance that was going to be insane. I was expecting Usher, others were expecting Jay-Z, but I'm pretty sure no one was expecting what would happen next. Jim Jones. Yes...what a let down.
Overall, Summer Jam 2008 was a pleasant surprise. Looking at the line-up most people didn't expect it to be anything special but I'm more than satisfied. Behind Kanye West pulling out Jay-Z a few years back on the "Diamonds are Forever (remix)" this was the best Summer Jam I've been to in the last 5 years.
Love Life. Live Fresh.
