Kids in high school and college professors were in attendance at an all-ages Metro show for an energetic performance of the Pro Era hip-hop crew and leader/headliner Joey Badass. The venue was perhaps three-quarters full, but if one judged by the roars from the crowd, it could have been mistaken for a packed house.
The crowd was receptive of the lesser-known opening acts, who had audience members participating in their songs. In between sets, the DJ played old-school jams like Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" and Jay Z's "Jigga." A blue light kept the stage lit in a cool vibe. One of the Pro Era members, Kirk Knight had the room chanting along with the hook to his song "Keep It 100." His last number, "Explosion," was a good word to describe the pandemonium leading to the final act, Badass himself.
Before the 19-year-old came out, the DJ switched to a slew of monumental records—Kanye West's "Good Life" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing," 50 Cent's "Many Men," Dr. Dre's "Xplosive." The house lights flipped from blue to red. Badass emerged and said that Chicago reminded him of home, Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, the birthplace of Jay Z, Biggie and Mos Def, which is a great compliment for our city. Offering fifteen-plus tunes, he rocked tracks from his 1999 mixtape, sitting down to spit his heavy lyrical verses, though he was jumping and dancing for most of the show.
Near the climax of the concert, Badass created three mosh pits, conducting three circles to the left, center and right of the stage. For the grand finale, he dove into the middle of the crowd—I mean nearly jumped halfway to the back.
Fans carried him on their hands as the MC impressively stayed on beat. Then, he disappeared into the bodies and had to walk his way back. After reaching the barricades and hopping up to the stage, he flashed a reassuring smile to his crew members to let them know everything was just fine.—Jordan Berry