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Lupe Fiasco and BoB Perform in DC
Loading ...Recently I had the chance to see Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B at a relatively popular D.C. venue the 9:30 Club. I’m a relatively devout Lupe listener and fan, but by the time I heard that tickets were on sale, I’d just assumed they were already sold out. Fortunately, I was wrong. Having not listened to much B.o.B other than what I’ve heard on various mix tapes, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, which made their performance that much more shocking. Shocking in a sense that you don’t normally encounter the kind of stage presence that B.o.B brings to a show. It’s the kind of stage presence you expect from a platinum selling headliner except he isn’t, and on this particular night the people came to see Lupe Fiasco, a super star in his own words. A fact that didn’t stop him from performing to a high caliber, nor the crowd bouncing as he was the one they came to see, which for some fans may have been the case. This of course begs one to ask why the likes of Lupe would choose such a show stealing act to open for his performance. I could think of several other talented not so mainstream hip hop acts that would get the crowd jumping before Fiasco took the stage, but why B.o.B?
When he walked off of the stage he gave a bit of an inspirational speech about a lost loved one, and then brought to our attention something that I and I’m sure most people at the show were completely unaware. That bit of information was that B.o.B has a sister. As it just so happens that this sister wasn’t in the crowd or on stage with B.o.B, so even mention it?
When Lupe Fiasco takes the stage he comes equipped with more than just his music and lyrics, but he brings something with him that some people would pay to see with or without him. Something that is not so common in the realm of hip hop, at least not in this day and age of electronic beat machines, autotune, and various beat producing software. I’m talking about the band, a band that could put on their own performance complete with guitarist, drummer, and keyboard player.
Midway through the performance Lupe was really feeling himself and DC was feeling him. he had previously called out a section of the crowd for being too quiet but by now the entire venue was popping and not a single body stood still. Lupe paused and the band kept playing as he took off his shirt and approached the stage to show love to the crowd and thank that same section of the crowd for their support. He then proceeded to introduce the members of his band and gave them each an opportunity to perform a short solo. When he reached the final band member keyboard player, things became a little more clear as he pointed out that she was none other than B.o.B.’s sister, indicating that their family hails from a gene pool of talent.
So Lupe’s performance was phenomenal, an epic mix of old and new tracks, although I was a little disappointed that I didn’t hear some of my personal favorites. Were it up to me, he would have performed nearly every track from his last two albums. The tracks he performed from his upcoming album promise another hip hop crowd pleaser–including the leaked track “I’m Beamin” and guest appearances by the Neptunes. I’ll be on the look out to see B.o.B rise to the next level of fame and eagerly waiting for Lupe Fiasco to drop the next single from his upcoming album, Lasers.
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