If anybody thinks that Hip Hop is lifeless, to cite a sure Queensbridge MC, then they’re sadly mistaken.
On July 20, I used to be there to witness DJ Cassidy convey the home down with the ultimate present in his Cross The Mic Dwell! residency in Las Vegas on the Bakkt Theater, delivering an unforgettable efficiency that may solely be described as legendary.
The lineup featured the Hip Hop-themed “Rat Pack,” comprised of Cassidy, Doug E. Recent, Slick Rick, Ja Rule and Fats Joe. With particular friends Warren G, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, Remy Ma, Kurupt and Lil Vicious (all the way in which from Jamaica), it was a celebration of true Hip Hop at its most interesting, a uncommon deal with that every one generations must witness firsthand.
From the second the present started, it was clear that this wasn’t simply any previous live performance. DJ Cassidy brilliantly fused Hip Hop with a Rat Pack theme, introducing every artist in a way that paid homage to their legacy and had the group on their toes. To see all of them seem onstage throughout their respective units wanting debonair of their tuxedos solely added to the electrical vitality within the room.
When you had been fortunate sufficient to have been within the period of those artists’ iconic songs, then it will have positively taken you again — in a great way. If not, they’re nonetheless timeless tracks that resonate to at the present time.
After the present, I requested Cassidy how he got here to decide on his last 4 out of the 220 artists that participated within the unique Cross The Mic collection that he launched on Twitch through the COVID pandemic.
“I stated the phrase, ‘All roads result in Las Vegas.’ And in spite of everything roads result in Vegas, all roads result in Ja, Joe, Rick and Doug,” he stated.
From what Cassidy instructed me, it wasn’t a imaginative and prescient that was onerous to promote to the artists. They acquired it instantly and had been all in.
Cole Curtis
“When the chance first arose to convey Cross The Mic Dwell! to Las Vegas, I instantly acknowledged my objective,” he added. “My objective was to create a present that may stand the check of time, that may go down in historical past and that may be talked about in years to come back — in the identical conversations as these Vegas exhibits that outline expertise, primarily the Rat Pack, Liberace, Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton, Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield.
“These had been the exhibits that I at all times related Las Vegas with and to at the present time I imagine these are the exhibits that outline the town. In the identical approach that in the event you ask folks what songs outline Hip Hop, any of the songs they might title are songs which can be many years previous — ‘La Di Da Di,’ ‘Sucker MCs’ and so forth and so forth.”
He added: “These exhibits are many years previous, however nonetheless outline Las Vegas. Probably the most definitive one, if I had to decide on one, I imagine is the Rat Pack. The Rat Pack could be very attention-grabbing as a result of the it didn’t consist of 5 unknown artists; it consisted of 5 stars, who joined forces to create a by no means seen earlier than ensemble that might solely be skilled in a single place: Las Vegas.
“Individuals flew from everywhere in the world to see the present and other people saved coming again. It reworked the lives of these 5 artists that had been already megastars and, in flip, they reworked a city. So I used to be actually fascinated by that concept.”
Cassidy needed to start out on the place the place Hip Hop was born, New York Metropolis, and so it solely made sense that he constructed the muse of the present with artists from the 5 boroughs.
Regardless of being 1000’s of miles aside and sitting on reverse ends of the nation, Cassidy believes that the 2 cities are extra alike than most might imagine.
“New York and Las Vegas have quite a bit in frequent. Particularly like previous world New York and previous world Las Vegas — the magnificence and class, in addition to the gangster swag,” he defined.
I beloved the concept of Cassidy beginning the present with none apart from the human beatbox himself, Doug E Recent. When you’ve skilled watching Doug, whether or not on MTV, within the film Beat Road or in live performance, you already know he’s a Hip Hop maestro who has a approach of commanding the stage and interesting the group.
The story unfolded from there.
Cole Curtis
“It actually felt like a narrative was being instructed,” Cassidy agreed. “Let me be clear, the whole lot I do derives from Doug E. Recent. I invented nothing. Cross The Mic is an interpretation of all my Hip Hop heroes. All the pieces that I say on the mic is impressed by, or an interpretation of, one thing that the nice Hip Hop get together MCs have stated earlier than.
“If it doesn’t come from Doug E. Recent, it comes from DJ Hollywood or from Lovebug Starski or from Child Capri or Andre Harrell, who was a serious mentor of mine. Cross The Mic could be very a lot a descendant of what Doug E. Recent has been doing his entire profession so it was actually emotional for me to have him as such an integral a part of this present.
“Not that he’s passing a torch, however I really feel like he’s letting me maintain the torch for 3 hours. He and I’ve grown very shut over time. He actually is a mentor and a buddy, and so it was becoming that he acted as a glue and sort of a co-maestro for the complete expertise.”
Doug E. Recent’s beatboxing was nothing wanting spectacular as he delivered a three-minute sonic journey that left the viewers in awe. His beatboxing is past human, a robotic instrument that nobody has been in a position to match. It’s a real type of what Hip Hop is.
Jadakiss, Lil Kim, Ja Rule & Ma$e Carry ’90s Hits To DJ Cassidy’s ‘Cross The Mic’ Live performance
After the present, I additionally had the prospect to speak with Doug E. Recent and instructed him that “we want you to drop one other album.” He smiled, held my hand and stated with an enormous smile: “It’s coming.”
I can’t clarify the joy I had when he stated this to me; it felt like a brand new chapter in Hip Hop historical past was about to be written. With MC Lyte, LL Cool J, Rakim and Will Smith all releasing new albums this 12 months, the momentum is actually constructing.
Everybody is aware of that the artist that involves thoughts instantly when mentioning Doug E. Recent is the enduring storyteller himself, Slick Rick. As Cassidy reiterated, The Ruler introduced again a way of authenticity that’s usually lacking in right now’s music because of his slick (no pun supposed) tone on “Hey Younger World” and the opposite timeless songs that followers nonetheless rap phrase for phrase to at the present time.
Slick Rick appeared within the notorious King of the Throne chair carrying his massive medallion chain and rocked the group with “Kids’s Story.”
Cole Curtis
He got here again later within the present to wow the viewers with “La Di Da Di,” which has been sampled over a thousand instances by numerous notable artists together with Snoop Dogg, JAY-Z, Eminem, Ice Dice and the late Biggie.
In a while, Fats Joe got here out to “Rockaway” the group along with his basic hits and added to the historic evening by bringing out Remy Ma on stage, whose presence was a strong reminder that ladies in Hip Hop carry an equally legendary standing.
Wearing a stupendous emerald robe, Remy additionally proved that Hip Hop isn’t nearly shaking ass, however about lyricism and substance as effectively. It was an vital second to point out the youthful era of feminine artists that they, too, have an important voice within the tradition.
Ja Rule needed the women to place it on him as he lit up the stage along with his high-energy set, throwing the viewers again to the ’90s and early 2000s along with his timeless hits. Listening to his raspy voice that used to dominate radio waves and seeing his infectious smile radiate all through the room was so refreshing. It was each touching and a testomony to the spirit of Hip Hop to see how a lot he was having fun with himself on stage.
Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat introduced a real ATL vibe with a string of hits that showcased Dupri’s plain affect on the music business. His intensive catalog reminded everybody why it’s onerous to match his experience as a songwriter, producer and performer. The chemistry between JD and Da Brat hasn’t modified since she was signed to So So Def within the Nineteen Nineties, turning the occasion right into a continuous spectacle of hits.
Too $hort had the group on their toes as he “Blew the Whistle” with a catalog that represented the West Coast and the Bay Space. Quick Canine’s stage presence is at all times a deal with as he effortlessly performas his iconic songs that may mix in with the present sound of right now’s music.
You may placed on a Too $hort music in your automotive, at a membership or at a pageant and the group will dance and recite his lyrics by out his whole set. His iconic catchphrase “Bitch!” nonetheless resonated the identical, even in his go well with and sneakers.
Preserving issues on the West Coast, Warren G mounted up with “Regulators” earlier than wowing the viewers with a shock efficiency by Kurupt. The present’s lineup illustrated that Hip Hop is aware of no geographical boundaries, seamlessly combining East Coast legends with West Coast icons and a contact of Southern hospitality.
Cole Curtis
DJ Cassidy even paid tribute to the West Coast with renditions of basic hits from the likes of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, showcasing a non-biased celebration of Hip Hop and its wealthy range.
In between acts, Cassidy displayed all aspects of Hip Hop as he danced and performed music throughout his electrifying DJ units, with the film Beat Road enjoying on the display screen behind him and showcasing the breakdancing scene between the New York Metropolis Breakers and the Rock Regular Crew. If you already know, you already know.
This present wasn’t only a efficiency; it was a testomony that Hip Hop is alive and effectively. The synergy between the artists, the rigorously thought-out setlist and DJ Cassidy’s progressive presentation proved that the style has — and can — proceed to face the check of time, reminding us all of why this tradition is so impactful.
Cross The Mic Dwell! deserves to journey past Las Vegas. It must go state to state, even perhaps worldwide. I discussed to DJ Cassidy that I must see extra Cross The Mic Dwell! exhibits to include the remaining 206 contributors from the unique collection. He humbly laughed and agreed.
What I witnessed on July 20 is that Hip Hop’s legacy continues to thrive. DJ Cassidy, Doug E. Recent, Slick Rick, Ja Rule, Fats Joe and plenty of others proceed to maintain the tradition alive and kicking. Right here’s to extra of those iconic moments that remind us why we fell in love with Hip Hop within the first place.
I’d prefer to sum this up with these phrases from Cassidy himself: “I actually needed to get a musical expertise greater than every other Cross The Mic Dwell! present but, to essentially incorporate collaborations like by no means earlier than.
“And the truth that Rick and Doug have collaborated so iconically, and Joe and Ja collaborated so iconically, that basically set the muse to create a never-seen-before, one-time-only collaboration that you would solely see at this present.
“After I first known as every of them, I didn’t even have to essentially pitch the concept; they simply acquired it. In a short time, we began shifting like a unit. That [Rat Pack-inspired] photoshoot [promoting the residency], which I feel came about April 1, was the primary time we had been all collectively in a single room.
“That day once we placed on our tuxedos, I feel all of us simply felt that we had been on the point of one thing magical. Nonetheless to this very second, I feel all of us nonetheless suppose we’re on the point of one thing magical. And I feel all of us really feel that the longer term has actually simply begun.”
