Image Credit: 13thWitness
There’s an ugly sense of entitlement in New York City when it comes to expectations of hip-hop concerts. For lack of a true term, let’s call it “That’s all?” syndrome.
First off, let me explain what my idea of a good concert is. You, the customer, get an energetic, quality performance from the headlining artist—one worthy of the dollars spent for the evening. Sounds good, right? Wrong! Well, not in New York, at least.
Last night, Kanye West was the man of the evening in Brooklyn, New York, hosting the Heineken Red Star Access G.O.O.D. Music concert and showcasing his talented roster of G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) acts. Yes, Kanye West—the man who’s worked with everyone from Nas to Madonna, and is currently wrapping up a highly anticipated album with Jay-Z.
And there lies the problem, folks. A concert that in no way suggested it would be a “Kanye and his celebrity friends” event was clouded with that very idea. Twitter buzzed with rumors and hopes of Jay-Z dropping in for a surprise appearance. The two were “supposed” to announce the release date for their collaborative effort, Watch the Throne.
So by the time Kanye finally stepped on stage just after midnight, dressed in black from bandanna to designer shoes and with several Jesus pieces dangling from his neck, everyone in Skylight One Hanson (a gorgeous venue, but an acoustic nightmare) knew that they’d be in for a treat bigger than just Kanye and the G.O.O.D. team.
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