The Legends of Southern Hip-Hop

Cleveland | October 28, 2016

Words: James Johnson

Any Hip-Hop fan out there looking to see a good show should definitely consider seeing the Legends of Southern Hip-Hop tour. Currently traveling worldwide, the tour features a variety of artists who have garnered enough respect and success for their art and craft in music that they’ve been afforded “legendary” status. The roster is surely no joke when it comes to the artists who are being featured throughout. Each, in their own right, has built a fan following that is unparalleled in Hip-Hop, and most notably, they’ve been here for some time. They definitely aren’t your “flash in the pan” artists that seem to cycle through. Beginning with Pastor Troy, the list goes on to include Trick Daddy, Project Pat, Bun B; whose legendary status comes courtesy of both an amazing solo career and his duties within the also legendary group U.G.K., Mystikal, 8 Ball & MJG, and finally Juvenile. Scarface also jumps in on a few dates. Clearly, the list isn’t lackluster, and anyone attending this show is in for a spectacular treat.

So was the case here in Cleveland, Ohio this past week. Like so many others, having attended so many concerts over the years and seeing so many artists, I’ve come to have a certain expectation in regard to energy levels, enthusiasm, and simply put, whether the artists is truly having a good time, or if it’s “work” for them. This has got to be one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time, hands down. It was truly amazing because as each artist came out, they all went through songs that honestly, I had long forgotten about. It showed that while many of them have current hits and projects, they also have an extensive catalog of hits that will never die to their diehard fans. While each artist was truly amazing, as a spectator at any show like this, you can’t help but try and categorize each performer in regard to who gave the best show. They honestly all gave an amazing show, but I will say that 8 Ball & MJG absolutely had me nearly falling with excitement as they performed their verses on Three Six Mafia’s “Stay Fly” and their smash Bad Boy hit, “You Don’t Want Drama”. They gave a great performance and showed why they have such a strong bond with their fan base. Bun B went through a number of hits from himself as well as U.G.K, even performing some of the vocals made legendary by rapper Pimp C. Fans were so happy to see him come out, and their excitement multiplied exponentially when he performed their biggest hits, including the collaboration “International Player’s Anthem” which featured Outkast. While his set was short to some, it was just enough to show just why he is the legend many know him to be.

When it came down to overall energy, the award goes out to both Mystikal, and Juvenile. From start to finish, Mystikal danced all over the stage as he rifled through the lyrics of such hits as “Down 4 My Niggas”, “Danger”, “Bouncin’ Back”, and “The Man Right Chea”. Just as well, Juvenile went all out as he went through a small roster of his hits. The problem with Juvie is that he’s got so many hits and fan favorites that many left feeling bad that he didn’t hit on certain tracks. He did manage to hit on some of the best though, coming out to the huge hit track “400 Degreez”, and going through a list including “Ha”, “Juvenile On Fire”, “Back That Azz Up”, “Slow Motion”, and “Nolia Clap”. He closed his set with “Gone Ride With Me”, actually wanting to continue performing; only the power to his mic was finally cut short.

I really thought it was a great show, symbolizing the unity that exists in the music industry and Hip-Hop world. Together, everyone showed with this tour that good music never dies.