Last night I went to the best concert of my life – hands down - a bold statement I don’t make lightly. Who thought I could top U2 only two weeks later – to the day. Shawn Corey Carter – aka Jay-Z - at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. The Pauley Pavilion is best known for hosting the UCLA Bruin’s basketball games – an intimate campus venue holding less than 15k people (especially in comparison to the Rose Bowl’s 95k). Since his latest greatest album “The Blueprint 3.0” dropped in August, Jay’s been touring North America. He was in Toronto last weekend on Halloween Saturday. If you don’t have his album (you’re one of the few - HOV’s 11th number one sold over a million copies in a matter of weeks) you need it. I bought it - I love it - I listen to it exclusively – along with some of his old skool classics, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Izzo”, “Big Pimpin”, “Renegade”… there are too many to list and count. The hip hop mogul has won nine Grammies & nine MTV VMAs – and if last night is any indication... he’s not ready to go home.
Another all-time fav – Rihanna – made a surprise appearance during “Run This Town”, and also sung the first live performance of her new single “Hard” after Jay-Z lovingly said “RhiRhi you ready?”– she was killer. Her new album “Rated R” comes out November 23rd. Ready!
My LOVE for hip hop is nothing new - thanks to cottage, Collingwood, & early morning Blue Mountain drives (AN, first M's for you!) - and my desire to be of African decent (have you seen Taye Diggs? Please... ). I’ve always liked Jay-Z (especially since he married one of my ultimates - Beyonce "B" Knowles in 2008 after six years of dating – he liked it & he put a ring on it… a $3 million one!!), but recently I have grown to LOVE him. It started when he was on Oprah August 18 – what's not to love during birthday week? Jay took Oprah to the housing projects in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn where he grew up. He sold drugs (never taking them) from age 13 for survival – and claims this was how he learned integrity and loyalty. It was also here where he started rapping – fierce lyrics that highlight his incredible intellect. Listen to them closely, his wit is not to be missed☺ Jig has sold more than 30 million records, as well as launching his own Rocawear clothing line (I might wear black for a year straight) & Roc Nation entertainment company. He is a true story of rags to riches – a self-made protégée (so ambitious) who told the crowd last night - "although it might sound cliché, not to let anything stand in the way of your dreams. Screw the haters".
Everyday a star is born.
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