Mos Def Live in Chicago

This is one of my first vlogs so bare with me as I figure out the formula. Last week sunday Haz Solo, Chaz (Whaz), Dylan Thomas, and myself met JD sivadink in Chicago... to see Mos Def. It was my first time visiting the House of Blues which was covered with jazz inspired folk art from head to toe.

While We were waiting in line outside some Sprite promoters offered us some new Sprite Green for free. I decided to leave our collective reactions to the taste of the new beverage out of my video diary cause... it was just plane nasty and no one liked it. However JD, Chaz, and I all agreed that the cans design was "sweet". Hussein was the first opening act to rock the crowd. I was impressed by his lyrical ability but that wasn't much of a surprise since he was opening for mos def. Next came Jay Electronic who also served Chicago a plate of well cooked rhymes with a side of humor.

But the funniest part of the night was when Jay called out to the audience for emcees and all of us pointed at Haz. Haz got up on stage and commenced to freestyle about Giordano's pizza to a mixed response but we couldn't stop laughing.

Then it was time for Mos. The crowds anxiety grew as the sounds of "Hip Hop" being played by a big band spilled from behind the closed curtain. Once it drew open the Staged was washed with red lights and all you could see, if you could see, was a masked hooded figure greeting every one with "peace, peace, peace". It took mos about two songs to shed his mask but he stayed on his game all night long with imitations of the late Michael Jackson's idiosyncrasies on stage. Performing mostly his new material with a few classics like "Umi Says" and "Traveling Man" Mos seldom performed a song with out paying homage to its sampled history. All in all it was a great show at a great venue on a great day. Now I'm just waiting for Mos to perform in Milwaukee.

Peace