Watch the Throne...Ehhhh

Okay! I better watch my back after I publish this post because I am about to keep it so real.  It may even be a case of "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong" :-/


BUT...


My girl Lyndsay woke up early to buy these tickets the minute they were available.  Minutes after she purchased them, the tickets were sold out.  For months our excitement about the Watch The Throne (WTT) Tour had been building up.  Usually when you fantasize about a concert, the actual result is better than anything you can imagine.  I have NEVER been let down by any concert, until last night.


Now, when you imagine Jay Z and Kanye West performing live together, the sky is the limit.  Especially with this album, you would think they would have went all out.  That is not what happened.  The concert was at the IZOD Center in New Jersey.  Doors opened at 7:30 PM but the show started at around 9 PM (smart because they knew most of the people at that concert were running on CPT).  The anticipation was almost unbearable.  Jay and Ye came out on separate rising pillars, opposite each other, which definitely demonstrated the equal thrones.  They started it off with "H.A.M.", which was perfect, "I'm about to go H.A.M."  It was like the introduction of the most miraculous thesis you could ever read.  The same with the "conclusion"; they played "N****s in Paris" three times, which was phenomenal.  I even loved the part when Jay Z stopped after the first time and said, "No one still knows what that means, [insert Jigga Laugh]".  After the third time, Jay closed out with "Encore", which was perfection.  However, the "body" was lacking almost everything.


Now, Jay did an incredible job.  He did his classics: "H to Izzo", "Jigga What, Jigga Who", "Big Pimpin'", "Give it To Me" (my fave) and several other Jay jump offs.  When I saw the two of them sit down, the concert took a turn for the worst.  I'm sorry, it was barely half way and served no purpose.  It was after Ye did "Jesus Walks" with his classic "Preacher Walk" dance.  Were you tired?  Are you serious?  While they were sitting Jay did "It's a Hard Knock Life".  What?  Why aren't you getting up in the people's faces trying to get us to sing along?  I was shocked.  But the real disaster came when Kanye did his 808s & Heartbreak portion of the night.  First of all, he had on a metallic gold skirt thing with some sort of leggings/jeggings underneath topped with a Bill Cosby COOGI cardigan.  What?  I understand, artists like to dress wild but ew.  Skirts on men has no place in Hip Hop or anywhere besides Scotland.  I believe integration of musical genres are awesome but this fashion statement, absolutely not. During his performance, there was definitely lots of auto tune going on.  Now the problem with auto tune at a concert is you cannot tell if the artist is really performing or if it was just the track.  Not even T-Pain used auto-tune the two times I saw him. It also didn't help that they had a DJ playing all their tracks that had all the pre-recorded intros and such.  I'm not saying that he was lip-syncing but I cannot say he wasn't.  To me the problem is, even if it really was him, the fact that I cannot tell is the biggest issue  "Heartless" was the most disturbing because it did not even sound like him at all. 


Then he went off again on his "Amber Rose Tangent" like he did in Philly. (Read her response to his Philly WTT outburst VLAD TV: Amber Rose's Response to Kanye's "Apology")  Interjection, please read that article.  No matter what anyone says or believes about Amber Rose, she was very dignified when dealing with that whole situation.  He kept saying, "If you love someone, never let them go" and "...I was an a**hole."  Ahhh, get over it.  She's moved on to better things.  Ye, I'm sorry, you went nuts and then came back expecting everyone to fawn over you.  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was incredible.  I will always support Ye as an artist/producer but as an individual and now as a performer, I do not trust him.  It was abysmal. 


Watch The Throne is a sensational album and I hope it wins as many awards as possible.  Nonetheless, what I am about to say is going to seem disrespectful and as if I am not a real fan.  I am a huge fan, I grew up in the 90s, and lived for Jigga.  The effort put into this concert was severely lacking.  Yes, the lighting and pyrotechnics were definitely up to par but the performance wasn't.  They decided not to bring any other artists out.  I get it; they are on the throne and the only people that matter.  How conceited and cocky.  What about up and comer Frank Ocean who did two amazing hooks for your album?  What about every artist that helped you on your latest album, Kanye?  That was definitely NOT solely a solo project.  Why not help those who helped you?  It makes me wonder if this beef with Weezy prevented them from having certain guests?  Who knows? 


We all know that they are two of the best BUT us as fans, still deserve the effort.  No offense, but I, like most, more than likely do not want to watch 2 older rappers not bring the heat.  I do not want 3 hours of two dudes rapping with a DJ in an arena.  That is better for a smaller venue.  If you are going to make me spend over $100 on not the best seats, it better be worth it.  Listen, I know what you're thinking, "oh what she didn't have good seats so now she's hating?" NO! I saw Weezy in his first NY performance after his release from Rikers for the I Am Music Tour and sat in the second to last row up top at the Nassau Coliseum.  That was still one of the greatest shows I have ever seen.  Yes, the closer you are, the better it can be, but if the nosebleed is all I can work with, at least I am there.  Do not get me wrong, I am glad that I went and still would have done it over again. It truly was a once and a lifetime opportunity but I would still be sad as hell, whether in the front row or the last one. 


I thought that this was going to be the CONCERT OF MY LIFE, instead it was one of the greatest musical disappointments.  Almost 24 hours later and I am still in disbelief.  WTT was a display of "We got the biggest c**ks in the world, look, look."  They are way too old to be that obsessed with themselves.  Yes I paid money to see Jay Z and Ye but people go to concerts for the surprises the artist's has in store.  I was not surprised and my excitement severely dwindled as the night went on.  How did Jay Z and Kanye NOT BRING IT?  That should be an oxymoron but now for me it is a synonym.  I saw Jay once before at TI's Paper Trail album release party.  He only performed "Swagger Like Us" with TI but there was so much more energy 3 years ago.  The one and only time I saw Ye was at Hot 97's Summer Jam 2008 and he blew my f*n mind.  He was live.  Nothing could have touched him then.  What changes in 3 years; I guess a lot.  I am sorry HOV, not so sorry Ye, but I think your time for showmanship is over.  (I am 100% OK with blaming Kanye for this disaster).  I still support you both and will always buy your albums BUT I WILL NEVER SPEND MONEY ON A TICKET WHERE YOU 2 ARE THE HEADLINERS.  Unfortunately, I would have been more satisfied listening to WTT with my two girls.  Sad but true...


Today's Mood: "We're Not Gonna Take It" -Twisted Sister (yea feelin' weird today)
YouTube-We're Not Gonna Take It


Possibilities for my Birthday Song: "Girls Girls $" -Theophilus London
YouTube-Girls Girls $