For as long as I’ve been going to Rock the Bells, they have always bought out some of the best Hip-Hop acts in the business every year. But after years and years of the same acts and collaborations, the once-original music festival started to become very stale and worn out. In its seventh year, Rock the Bells badly needed something fresh and new to keep it groundbreaking for 2010. Ironically its creators reached back and got something from the past to create something that was modern and innovative for 2010.
Rock the Bells 2010‘s theme all boiled down to one novel premise: the year 1993. All three of this year’s headlining acts all came out with albums during that year that later became certified Hip-Hop classics. A Tribe Called Quest released “Midnight Marauders” and both the Wu Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg released their debut albums, “Enter the Wu Tang” and “Doggystyle“, within days of one another in 1993. Not only did they perform each of their albums in its entirety, other musical acts such as Slick Rick and Rakim performed their own albums that also cemented their place in Hip-Hop history.
The grand festivities started off with the arrival with one of Hip-Hop’s most original MCs ever. Clad in his usual livery of gaudy gold jewelry and an eye-patch, Slick Rick lead off a musical lineup full of heavy hitters on the main stage, proving once again why he is the best storytelling MC of all time.
While a lot of people (including myself) would say it would be an insult for someone who is unequivocally regarded as the greatest-MC-of-all-time to be one of the earlier acts, Hip-Hop legend Rakim took it in stride and was next to go up on stage. In my opinion, Rakim should have headlined this year’s Rock the Bells festival. The mastermind of the Hip-hop classic “Paid in Full” and the most influential MC of all time should be afforded more respect than that.
A very rare sighting and performance by one of the best producers of all time, DJ Premier, was one of the top highlights of the night. Together with a fitting tribute to G.U.R.U. and Big L, ‘Preemo’ produced his set by mixing a non-stop barrage of his famous beats. DJ Premier got a crowd already standing on their feet to bob their heads with tracks that displayed his turntable skills like Jay-Z’s “So Ghetto” to Gang Starr’s “Mass Appeal“. Getting to see him perform his classic cuts live on ones and twos was truly seeing a master at work.
Even with a lengthy delay, special guest Lauryn Hill, came out in grand fashion and was warmly greeted by the crowd. With the addition of a live band, Lauryn Hill is one of those rare artists where their music actually sounds better and more soulful with musical instruments. After her performance, I’m sure every person in the crowd was wishing for a long overdue Fugees concert.
A Tribe Called Quest soon followed and the crowd was then treated to a live performance of my favorite ATCQ album, “Midnight Marauders.” ATCQ absolutely amazed the crowd with their energetic and infectious performance. Before long, special guest Busta Rhymes came out to join ATCQ to do a live version of their 1991 hit “Scenario.” Together with Busta Rhymes, ATCQ kept pumping out one timeless track after another from their extensive discography. Their performance that night cast no doubt to why A Tribe Called Quest is considered to be the greatest Hip-Hop group of all time.
Not to be outdone, the Wu Tang Clan exploded on to the stage with their distinctive Kung-Fu influenced style of Hip-Hop. Shaolin’s finest put on a show that included every track from their celebrated debut album, “Enter the Wu Tang” – and it was even in the right order! The Hip-Hop super group, which included the late Old Dirty Bastard’s son, dazzled the crowd with each MC’s own different styles and deliveries. Even the crowd got into the act by singing along during ODB’s parts in tracks such as “Shame on a N—-“and “Ain’t Nothin’ Ta F— Wit“. After seeing previous concerts with half of group not showing up and the constant rumors of them breaking-up, it was good to see the entire Wu Tang Clan together once again that night performing the album that endeared them to their legions of fans who were all throwing up the W.
Rock The Bells ended with the West Coast’s very own Snoop Dogg performing his first album “Doggystyle“. Together with Kurupt, Daz, RBX, Warren G, and Lady of Rage, Snoop gave a seemingly tired crowd new life with a laid back performance that perfectly showcased Snoop’s distinct style. Complete with backdrop of a park bench full of 40oz’s and dog mascot wearing a bandana, Snoop Dogg gave the crowd its money’s worth. Snoop’s own brand of Hip-Hop provided the concert with a much needed change of pace. His style is the complete opposite of the majority of the acts in the lineup and was a very welcome and surprising addition to this year’s Rock the Bells.
Overall 2010’s Rock the Bells was a complete blast. This year’s theme of 1993 and artists performing entire albums was very ingenious and was a treat to fans considering that they might never get a chance to see certain lesser known songs performed live. As for next year’s Rock the Bells, one can hope for a newer twist in a concert series that is getting long in the tooth. A different vibe created by a more diverse line up would be a welcome addition to next year’s event to keep it fresh. I for one would love to see Outkast headline next year’s concert.
