Mos Def House of Blues Concert Review (Houston)

Aight, so it's been super busy at my job. Normally I post about 10 things a day, I'll be back on it come Monday..Sorry you guys...Well, here's the latest. I loathe the fact that I couldnt physically be there to witness this but hey, I can hear about it right??

Critics love to carp that today's hip-hop is devoid of substance and creativity. Mos Def's latest, The Ecstatic, is a perfect example of a rap album that nullifies this argument. With Madlib manning the boards, Mos found his groove and made a compelling follow-up to the classic Black on Both Sides.

So, imagine my excitement as I walked into House of Blues to catch M-Def's live show for the first time. Houston is far removed from the elaborate live music scenes of New York and Atlanta, so whenever we can get a premier MC to perform on our soil it's like Christmas in summer.

Jay Electronica Shines

At 9:50, Jay Electronica casually strolls onto the stage. At first, I thought he was the stage manager. Clad in a plain red shirt and beige shorts, Jay Electronia looked nothing like your typical rapper. That's a compliment. On stage, this intently lyrical newcomer is in rare form. He kicks off the show on positive note, "We're only dealing with positive energy here." When a couple of fans get into an altercation, he extends an apology to the offended kid "on behalf of" the offender.

He showcases a slew of Dilla-produced hits, including "So What You Saying," pausing to interact with the crowd after every song. In fact, Jay talked his way through most the show. Halfway into his set, a visibly inebriated lady leaps on stage and throws herself at Jay's feet. A security guard attempts to yank her from the stage but Jay reaffirms his "positive energy" theme, "Nah, it's cool. It's all love in here." Is this still a rap concert?

Through storytelling and interaction overload, Jay manages to retain the crowd's attention. This is no easy feat when half your set consists of a cappellas and freestyles. He spots a white gentleman who's rhyming along to every song and smiles in disbelief.

My gripe with his set was that he omitted everyone's favorite J.E. song, "Eternal Sunshine," which ranked high on our 2008 Best Rap Songs list. Instead, he decides to lace one of the verses from that song atop Drake's "Uptown." Hometown veteran Bun B graces the stage, the crowd goes beserk. Jay pays homage to the hip-hop elder statesman.

At 10:16, he exits the stage for another veteran.

Mos Def Inspires the Crowd

By the time the curtain reopens at 11:16, Mos Def is firmly planted on the drums banging out the introductory track from Ecstatic, "Supermagic." Like the album it promotes, Mos Def's set contributes three consecutive songs to a delightfully rousing opening. A lively offering of "Casa Bey" is immediately followed by an interlude of the obscure Ghostdoom collaboration "Charlie Brown." Someone yells "MF DOOM!" probably in a bid to communicate his presence to fellow Doom nerds.

In concert, Mos breathes poetry. His enunciation is crispy, his demeanor permanently amused. He cruises through his catalog in reverse, moving from The Ecstatic to Tru3 Magic and on to The New Danger, in that order. When he touches down on Black Star's "Definition," he evokes the spirit of '99. The kids are jumping around and mouthing off every rhyme. The crowd is ecstatic.

It's 11:48 and by now the alcohol is flowing freely. A pair of black bra comes flying on stage. Mos gingerly kicks it and carries on with the program. He hops back on the drums and literally bangs out a medley of hits. The execution is far from smooth, but his desire to give the audience a memorable show is undeniable.

That said, his rendition of "Quiet Dog" on drums was by far one of the best moments of the evening. He instructs the lighting team to turn off the lights. This sets up the mood for a three-song Michael Jackson tribute which culminated with "Billie Jean" and the requisite moonwalk.

Around 12:45 Mos enters the final lap with his three biggest hits -- "Ms. Fat Booty," "Umi Says," and "Travelin' Man." It was the perfect way to cap off an evening of intense album hopping.

via:about