As I entered the stage area Pharoahe Monch was about halfway through his set. I had heard of Pharoahe before but I wasn't familiar with his music. I am now, and I will be purchasing as many of his CDs as possible. He had two singers with him on the side of the stage - one male, one female. The girl was very good but the guy was excellent. He looked like he was about 5'2" but he had one hell of a big voice, very Al Green-ish. Hip-hop is so much better when a real person is singing the hooks.
Towards the end of Monch's set Talib Kweli came out and they did a few songs together. Then Talib was doing his own thing. The reason I came to this show was to see Talib and it hurts me to say this but.... he kinda sucked. His voice sounded shitty - very hard to understand. After several songs Mos Def came out and him and Talib got into Black Star mode. The crowd went berserk for this part of the show. But then Talib stepped off and it was just Mos Def.
I expected so much more from the legend. The rhymes were razor sharp but the energy just wasn't there. When he was up there alone the crowd was just not into it - not even his crew on the side of the stage. The best part of his set was when Pharoahe Monch came out and did a song, he knows how to work a crowd. Rass Kass also made an appearance which was pretty sick. Aside from these highlights the show drug on, Mos didn't know when to step off the stage - even though the crowd did. I actually ended up leaving a little early... I just couldn't take it anymore.
The moral of the story is this - Pharoahe Monch stole this show. It was his from the minute he took the stage. The crowd loved him, it was crazy when he was up there. He one-upped Mos Def and completely murdered Talib. The only part of the show that could compete was the Black Star segment.
Here are some pics I took (they suck, sorry). I couldn't get very close and the lighting was horrible. I touched them up but they still suck. I also have some audio a friend hooked me up with.
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