I’d like to apologize to all the folk that wanted to kill me for bragging about  my tickets to The Ecstatic tour. Y’all are just going to have to deal with me because I’m still hype about seeing Jay Electronica, Ms. Badu and the mighty Mos Def at the Palladium in Hollywood. I will be talking about that show forever. The Ecstactic Tour is the best show I’ve seen all year - it tops Idle Warship, Wale, Blu, Pac Div, and Raphael Saadiq.

 

I’m not sure how many people were packed into the historic skating rink on Saturday but it was enough folk for me to still smell remnants of the gigantic blunts I saw being rolled left and right on the main level. I can’t wait till my next hair appointment so I can wash out the smoke clogging up my hair follicles.

 

My concert partna Erweezy and the lovely chicas, Ms. Rema and Ms. Nailah of Safiya Beauty and I showed up just in time to miss the opening act, some dude name Hussein, and catch the hilarious Jay Electronica. Electronica is most known as Erykah’s third baby daddy but he’s also made a name for himself. I hadn’t heard much from Electronica other than his productions but I anticipated his set knowing that he had already received the stamp of approval from Nas and the late J Dilla.

 

Dilla would be proud. Jay Electronica is unconventional, insightful, honest and sounds nothing like the pop-influenced material dominating the radio. None of his songs had hooks and he surprisingly pulled off a verse over the theme song to “The Price is Right”.  Anyone who can sound good over that wack beat is alright with me.

 

I enjoyed Jay from the jump because he was humble enough to tell us that he was nervous and had to take a shot of Jack before coming on stage. I like that — I’m weary of rappers that pretend to be superheroes or impenetrable. Electronica’s rhymes speak for themselves, there is no need for him to be arrogant, so he’s not. He’s making  a name for himself through word of mouth and any success this man has coming for him is justified.

 

After Jay Electronica we were blessed by Erykah Badu and her band The Cannabinoids. I say blessed because everything about that woman is spiritual. She is gorgeous - I officially have a new girl crush. I now  understand how and why she got Andre, had Common going left, scooped up The D.O.C. and talked Jay Electronica into naming their child Mars. She is regal, more than a bit strange but that voice is divine.

 

 

I love it when artists talk to their audience during  a show. When they take moments to let us in on the method to their madness it can be chilling. The room will get dark, the people will get silent, and the artist has the audience in the palm of their hand. Erykah did this when she started talking about a movie she had seen called the “4th World War” and how it inspired her last album and her next two. I won’t be able to give the moment justice but the gist of it was that the new world, or our future, will be about making peace with ourselves and battling our own minds.  It was a simple but stunning statement. 

 

If Ms. Badu is the melody of The Ecstatic tour, Mos Def is the classic verse.  When you put the two together you witness a 5 mic moment before The Source started paying for them.

 

I was a bit scared before Mos came on stage because I had always heard that he was a horrible live performer. Five minutes into his set I wanted to call all the people who had told me that lie and tell them to suck it, with love of course.

 

 

 

 

It’s possible The Ecstatic brings out something in that man that none of his other albums could do. Whatever the reason, his show is phenomenal. I’ve never seen anyone appear so…well, ecstatic on stage. There was a moment when Mos brought out Shuggie Otis to accompany him on the guitar and he looked genuinely happy. That may seem simplistic, but it’s the best way to describe his energy. When Shuggie and Mos Def embraced it was clear that the audience had just witnessed a high point in Mos’ career.

 

Mos’ set got better as the show went on. His tribute to Michael Jackson has improved since the first You Tube videos circulated on the Internet.  Ms. Badu came on stage to join him during “Billie Jean” and she strutted around again during “Ms. Fat Booty,” lending her vocals to the hook. 

 

Before the show I had hoped to only hear one song – “Ghetto Rock” but I thought it would be a long shot.  When Mos got on the drums and started saying “black Jack Johnson N-Y-C” I almost pissed in my pants. That was enough for me to think the show was great but then he starting singing the first verse to “The Panties” (one of my favorite songs, EVAR!) and it was the sexiest thing I ever did see.

 

 

Trust me when I say you need to do yourself a favor and go wherever you need to go to see this show.

Tags: Ecstatic Tour, Erykah Badu, Jay Electronica, Mos Def, Proper Talks Adventures