No stopping powerhouse duo of Kanye and Jay-Z
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Jay-Z opens on a small stage in the center of Consol Energy Center and then joins Kanye West on the main stage. -
Kanye West on the main stage of Consol Energy Center. -
Jay-Z opens on a small stage in the center of Consol Energy Center that was raised and then lowered, with a video monitor on the sides. -
Jay-Z opened on a small stage in the center of Consol Energy Center. -
Jay-Z, right, opened on a small stage in the center of Consol Energy Center and then joined Kanye West on the main stage. -
Jay-Z opened on a small stage in the center of Consol Energy Center.
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"If you're having girl problems, I feel bad for you, son, I got 99 problems."
It didn't matter what kind of problems you were having Sunday night -- girls, boys, money, drugs (well, maybe not drugs) -- you could leave them at the door of Consol Energy Center Sunday night and enjoy a visit by the royals.
That would be Jay-Z and Kanye West, the reigning kings of hip-hop (setting aside Eminem for now). The connection between the rappers runs deep, back to when Kanye started providing King Jay with hot beats about 11 years ago. No one could have predicted that the college dropout and upstart producer from Chicago would one day stand toe to toe, like Frazier to Ali, to the master MC from Brooklyn.
The occasion is their recent "Watch the Throne" joint album, which made up a big part, but thankfully not even a majority of the set Sunday night. Around 9:20, following almost two hours of nothingness -- no opener, no DJ -- the two rappers came out on separate stages with "H.A.M.," a "Throne" track that swells on an operatic scale, promising that they're gonna go harder than a ... well, never mind.
On rising block stages sporting video of sharks and pit bulls, they ventured into "Who Gon Stop Me," with Jay rapping about saying goodbye to his street life and Kanye going off on some goofy, consciousness scream. They came down from their towers for "Otis," trading verses in front of a giant American Flag and over Otis Redding's soul classic "Try a Little Tenderness," Jay saying, "Photo shoot fresh/Looking like wealth/I'm about to call the paparazzi on myself."
Both were in loud black T-shirts from the new K.W. fashion line. Jay accessorized with a black Yankees cap and flag bandanna. Kanye went with the more unconventional leather kilt, prompting people to tweet that he's wearing "a skirt!"
After a few more from the "Throne," including a different "Welcome to the Jungle" than the Guns N Roses song, they each went hard in their own ways, trading tracks, backed by a pair of keyboard programmers. Jay, the more natural rapper, street battler, went with the hard, black-and-white anthem "Jigga What, Jigga Who," drawing the standing, fist-pumping crowd into a trade-off.
Kanye, the wily musical visionary and headier rapper, in terms of subject matter, countered with the growling, head-strong "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Flashing Lights" and "Jesus Walks," expressing his religious faith and pride in his own turf: "You know what the Midwest is/young and restless."
First Published November 28, 2011 12:23 am
