It's been almost 24 since the show and it's still on me...still in me.
I feel like I've been up all night long eating delicious food,
engaging in mind-blowing conversation.
And I'm still NOT tired!
When you watch the Roots perform, you ask yourself a couple of things. One is "How in the world are all those other fools who call themselves rappers surviving in the rap game?"
The other is "Why after being in the game at least 10 years are they still opening for people?"
This is a live band with a conscious that actually has something meaningful to say. They are the Earth, Wind & Fire of Hip Hop.
The Roots Are The Truth!
They're music means something.
They are speaking about us, to us and for us.
And it's sad that not enough people are hearing it!
I must admit that I was expecting complete foolishness from Erykah.
But she brought it last night!
Erykah has changed over the years.
The dreads, the incense, the sarongs had all been replaced by this ridiculously large afro with goldfronts and name rings.
So when she sauntered onto the stage in a red plaid polyester suit w/ light colored chucks,I was afraid...
Until she started singing!
It didn't matter what she had on when she opened her mouth.
She was STILL Erykah Badu!
The new album is an aquired taste and I love it. It's a social, political work.
A piece that would make Marvin Gaye proud.
We transitioned between Baduizm to Mama's Gun to
Worldwide Underground and then New Amerykah.
She took us there and then told us 'to scream your own damn names.'
Her background singers were thick. brown. vivacious. lovely.
And they sang like they needed money for food.
Their harmonies were so tight I thought to myself 'Erykah must be beating them'.
I can see her walking through their rehearsals,
stick in hand like Debbie Allen on Fame telling them to get it together.
These girls are SICK!!!
They smile while they sing.
They are trying to kill you.
It was Hip Hop R&B. Pure delightful deliciousness and we were pumping our fists in the air with fury, moving our bodies and belting out the lyrics to the song 'Danger' to the top of our lungs...
"Because they got the block on lockThe trunk stay locked
Glock on cock
The block stay hot
Block on lock
The trunk stay locked
Glock on cock
The block stay hot" !!!
At the end of the show, Erykah shook hands and said to hello to everyone in the
front row of the pit. I was fortunate enough to tell her how beautiful she is.
She is.
photo~ken hively latimes
1 comment:
Didn't know you were a blogger! Sounds like a great show. I don't know what's gotten in to me lately, but I keep missing my favorite artist when they come to town.
I love the Roots. But I'm glad they aren't commercially huge because something weird happens when groups get that huge mainstream recognition. The music suffers to me.But I agree, they should be headlining more often than not.
Glad that Erykah was so good. I was beginning to think she was being eclectic for the sake of being eclectic and that is a major turn off. I'll have to give the new CD a try.
Ree
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