For the latest edition of Hot 104.1 FM’s annual Super Jam summer concert series, J. Cole took nearly 15,000 fans on a thrilling ride down Forest Hills Drive for a unique show that included a rarely seen phenomenon.
Offering a run through of his latest album (2014 Forest Hills Drive) and closing out with a few of his favorite hits, J. Cole fans and hip-hop lovers were led through an evening of live music and energy they won’t soon forget.
Even before J. Cole hit the stage Friday night at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, rising rap star Big Sean would provide a delightful detour. Between the two performances the concert would prove that hip-hop artists can hold their own pound for pound against any other genre on stage.
The entire bill included artists signed to Cole’s Dreamville label, Jeremih, YG, Big Sean and J. Cole, but with the exception of Big Sean, the featured entertainment failed to enter the realm of their headliner’s caliber with respect to stage presence, passion for performance and overall energy.
The Dreamville collective did well enough considering their lack of experience and familiarity with fans, but R&B crooner Jeremih was underwhelming for his portion of the show.
He rushed through his collection of radio hits and song features at a hurried, jumbled pace. His backing vocals overshadowed his vocals over the course of him scurrying through the set list of sexually suggestive songs that included “Birthday Sex” and “Booty on Me.”
YG fared much better with his West Coast swagger that is reminiscent of the early days of Snoop Dogg’s rap collective Tha Dogg Pound.
He’s become more comfortable in his skin on stage and the audience responded – especially during “My Hittas” and “Who Do You Love.”
Big Sean was the final act before the man of the hour. His drive and passion would have been an impossible act to follow for anyone other than J. Cole and a handful of others among the hip-hop elite.
He emerged atop a set that was meant to replicate a grimy Detroit street corner. The structure bore striking resemblance to more than one urban area in St. Louis and Big Sean capitalized on the Midwest connection to forge a bond with his fans as he performed crow favorite features like “Clique,” “Mercy” and Drake’s “All Me” in addition to his own hits.
Over the course of his 45 minutes or so on stage Big Sean proved two things. First, he’s not given nearly as much credit as he deserves as a legitimate lyricist. Second, he’ll be headlining his own shows sooner than later. His power packed performance was a perfect set up for J. Cole to hit the ball out of the park.
J. Cole has set himself apart from many of his hip-hop contemporaries by his knack for operating against the grain. For Friday night’s show he was consistent in doing so a he delivered a show that was conceptual and true to the tour name.
In general, most tours are the namesake of the artist’s latest project as a promotional tactic but the show is for the most part a latest and greatest hits presentation of sorts.
But aside from a few favorites like “Crooked Smile” and “Nobody’s Perfect,” Cole stayed in the lane of Forest Hills Drive for the course of the show.
Cole illustrated his innate ability to strip hip-hop down to its purest intention atop a replica of his childhood home. He went about the business of setting true to life experiences to rhyme over a sick beat – and in this case a live band. His voice is a refreshing alternative to the current element of rappers who focus on hood fairytales and fictional baller chronicles that highlight the glamour as opposed to the grind with respect to both the rap game and street life.
Much like the album, which is also named in honor of the address where he grew up, Friday’s show gave fans an intimate peek inside Cole’s thoughts and musings. He pulled the curtain back on the dysfunctional entertainment scene through “Hollywood” and offered personal reflections based on his experiences within the entertainment industry.
Cole demanded that his fans get about the business of self-love, thinking bigger than their personal surroundings and finding true happiness as he shared bits of his own narrative. His story includes climbing from the small town of Fayetteville, NC to see his latest album go platinum without an anchor single, minimal promotion and only three weeks advance notice before its release.
He expressed sincere gratitude to the audience for riding with him through Forest Hills Drive. Cole admitted he pushed fear aside to present the show in such a manner, seemingly as an attempt to encourage them to do the same in their own lives.
By the time he bid St. Louis farewell via “Power Trip,” both Cole and his fans left feeling invincible.
