Login
MTV.CO.UK Channels
Entertainment Channels
Music Channels
Video / Community / Mobile Channels
Jay Z At Wireless
Review: Hova arrives in London to a more appreciative crowd than at Glastonbury…
There was no need for Wonderwall at tonight’s Jay Z show- his third UK festival date this week.
Dispensing with the decade old guitar anthem the Brooklyn rapper instead started with his own recent horn-heavy single Roc Boys and continued with hits for over an hour.
The large London crowd were real fans (if not proper ‘hip hop heads’) and not only knew the hooks and choruses but were rapping along to Jay’s always entertaining lyrics too.
He blasted out classic rap hits- a rocky 99 Problems, Timbaland’s twitchy Dirt Off My Shoulder, Jigga What- Jigga Who, and the Jackson 5 sampling Izzo (h.o.va).
Surprisingly the least well received tracks were those by other people- Amy Winehouse’s Rehab passed by (after a brief blast of The Prodigy) and Umbrella couldn’t compete with his own music.
His verse over American Boy (sung for a second time acapella) showed he can rhyme about Blighty as well as Kanye West though.
Hardknock Life and Big Pimpin- with a sea of umbrellas, scarves and jackets waved in the air- were also highlights.
West produced Heart of The City (Aint No Love) seems particularly apt to close the set in the capital with towerblocks silhouetted on the horizon.
With a full live band and high def screens showingh apt images this was the best US hip hop gig in the capital for some time- perhaps since Hova’s own Albert Hall gig.
But ‘Best Rapper Alive’? You’ll have to ask the 30,000 elated fans who saw the show.
- WRITTEN BY
TOM THOROGOOD
FRI 04/07/08 @ 13:28
- WRITTEN BY
-
RATE THIS ARTICLE
Comments