Rappers Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y took the ten year challenge social media challenge to the next level with the release of “2009,” their second joint (all pun intended) album. The record is named in honor of the last time the two released a project together – 2009’s “How Fly.”
Sunday night St. Louis fans got a chance to see a rap star in an intimate setting serve up a passion project with his partner in rhyme at The Pageant. Because of Khalifa’s star power, the show sold out almost as soon as it was announced. But fans wouldn’t get so much of a taste of what he typically serves musically at arena shows around the world.
Certainly, there were those who wanted to hear some of the hits that have captivated millennial hip-hop heads for more than 10 years. But the crowd seemed to go with the flow as Khalifa made the night a 100 percent team effort – even falling back a bit to give Curren$y a bit more of the spotlight.
Sunday’s show was Khalifa’s first return since he shared the stage with Snoop Dogg for2016 the “High Road” tour at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. Like his last visit, there was plenty of smoke from the stage – and in the audience. Sadly their wasn’t the luxury of the open air venue for a bit of relief.
Khalifa is known for his high energy shows. But like his last visit with Snoop, he scaled back his stage presence to meet the energy of his performance partner Sunday night. With the “2009” Tour, Khalifa seemed to deliberately backseat his natural performance energy and charisma as a calculated effort to give the New Orleans rapper the shine Khalifa apparently feels his creative partner deserves.
The end result was an opportunity to get up close and personal with one of hip-hop’s major personalities – and a rap journeyman to move beyond his space of just under the cusp of mainstream music’s radar.
A laidback set that included a cream colored sofa set, the vibe was that of a living room listening session where the artists chime in more than a concert performance. Performing to tracks with backing vocals, Khalifa and Curren$y took it easy as far as the energy and show caliber was concerned. Their intention seemed to be to share their musical reunion with fans and connect first-hand. It was a chill/smoke session with music, microphones and 2,000-plus of their closest friends cheering them on.
Though Khalifa seemed to assume the Robin role in the rap duo, it was hard not to focus on him based on the type of performance he’s capable of giving. The show reflected the album it highlighted – decent, even enjoyable at points, even if not necessarily spectacular. Among the highlights were “Plot Twist,” “The Life” and “Forever Ball.”
In the midst of the mellow rap and smoke session, the pair managed to serve some inspiration to their fans. Both of their respective careers are a testament to what’s possible with commitment, dedication, hard work and – as “Plot Twist” points out – sacrifice. Khalifa climbed to the top of hip-hop’s mainstream from Pittsburgh, which was anything but a breeding ground for successful rap artists. Curren$y floated between labels – including No Limit and Lil Wayne’s Cash Money subsidiary Young Money – before creating his own Jet Life and later releasing an astonishing 12 mixtapes in a single year (2016).
“Don’t give up,” Curren$y told the crowd as they prepared to close the show. “That’s really the message of the whole night.”
