VISITING US rapper Shawn Carter alias Jay Z on Wednesday night gave Tanzanians a show to remember when he performed at the Diamond Jubilee hall in Dar es Salaam.
MASEMBE TAMBWE
VISITING US rapper Shawn Carter alias Jay Z on Wednesday night gave Tanzanians a show to remember when he performed at the Diamond Jubilee hall in Dar es Salaam.
The concert that was attended by over 1500 screaming youths was described as the biggest Hip Hop concert of all time.
Jay Z was clad in blue baggy jeans with the map of the world printed on his back pockets, a white t-shirt, golden suede boots, a navy blue hooded sweatshirt with white bold letters reading TANZANIA and the national flag on the sleeve. He wore his trademark shades over his eyes.
After the local curtain raisers flopped off stage, the lights were dimmed and when they came back on, needing no introduction, Jay Z, the man of the hour was on stage, doing what he does best, ripping lyrics apart.
The electrified crowd having been caught off guard went into a frenzy when they realised Jay Z was actually on stage. After the first two songs, he introduced Malik Thuston Cox, better known as Memphis Bleek, a signing under Roc-a-fella Records, where Jay Z is the CEO.
Together the duo performed Jay Zís many hit tracks including the Ruler’s Back, Jigga That N***a, Song Cry, Girls, Girls, Girls where he paid tribute to all the girls in the hall and crowd gladly sang alongside him.
Some of the best moments of the night were when he sang Izzo (H.O.V.A), which was in 2002 nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and also a favourite among many Tanzanians. The roared when the introductory beats hit the speakers and by the time Jay Z finished the song, the crowd was begging for more.
“I grew up from the projects and can relate to all of ya about
the struggles of life, you face everyday. But we are from the school of hard knocks because it is a hard knock life out there”, he said during the introduction of his mega hit song, “hard knock life”.
When the beats to the song filled the speakers, the crowd went into a trance and then went berserk. The crowd screamed like they had seen a ghost and arms were raised in the air like there was a stick up. Those who could go with the dancing flow, danced like there was no tomorrow and others just bobbed their heads wildly.
Towards the end of the concert, Jay Z asked the crowd to put two fingers symbolising peace and paid tribute to those who passed away in the entertainment scene. He especially remembered Grand Master Flex, the pioneer of Hip Hop, Notorious BIG, Tupac Shakur, Left Eye of TLC, Big Pun, Big L. Their songs were played to remember them.
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