Prague knew the fire of true rap. We were at a 50 Cent concert
Whenever I hear a mega hit To wait patiently by 50 Cent, I remember a famous Detroit concert nineteen years ago, where exactly this song was covered by the lesser-known rapper Eminem, who, to the surprise of the chanting crowd, climbed out of the backstage and totally stole the show for himself. Perhaps too naively, I hoped that he would jump there during the concert in Prague. He didn’t jump, but it didn’t matter at all in the end – 50 Cent pulled it off on his own even after all these years and showed the whole Czech Republic a true hip-hop experience. And the whole O2 arena felt it.
You can’t say that 50 Cent is one of my favorite rap artists. But when I in August he learned that he was going to play a concert in Prague again, somehow I could not resist this extraordinary opportunity. After all, he is one of the most successful rappers ever and it would be a sin to create multi-platinum records Get rich or die trying (2003) and Massacre (2005) not seen live. In addition, he is already forty-seven, so it is possible that this is one of his last concert stops in Central Europe in his career.
I bought a ticket and went to Prague’s O2 arena, where 50 Cent ended up having a two-day tour – he was originally supposed to perform only on October 18, but due to great interest he also added the second concert he played the day before. I also noticed the interest of the fans when I got off the subway and could already see the queues to enter from a distance. Fortunately, I didn’t have to stand in the crowd surrounded by invisible clouds of marijuana smoke, because I secured a ticket to the VIP section in time, where there weren’t many people in front of the main door.
After a few beers and a few plates of snacks on the club level, I settled into my seat as the pre-jump DJ kept the ubiquitous fans up to speed. Then nine o’clock in the evening struck and the O2 arena plunged into darkness, so that a few seconds later, accompanied by lighting effects and pyrotechnics, the one we were all waiting for entered. The beginning alone will probably remain in my memory forever, because I have never experienced more energy from a music concert than this immediately during the start.
What’s going on, Prague!
He had to start a divorce. As soon as he ran onto the stage together with his cronies, who helped him stir up the crowd and complemented his words, the hall erupted. It literally lifted me out of my chair, not only because I finally saw a legend of the hip-hop world live, but above all because of the sound system, which had the right parameters of a suitable rap concert for my taste. In the very first minutes, I was also interested in the side screens, where there were shots of the main character of the entire evening in top, clean quality. Actually, I have never seen such a beautiful picture before.
50 Cent made Prague’s O2 arena his little pond, from which he caught one fish after another – the fans devoured his every word and every move. And, of course, none of us present could fail to notice his luxurious diamond-encrusted watch, which flashed elegantly when turned to the spotlights. The smallest details had to be noticed when the man who changed rap and he even survived nine bullets. It is simply an icon of the music scene, which can now be compared to the greatest.
The arena was pumped up from the first minutes, but the biggest opening highlight came when 50 Cent played Candy shop, one of his most famous hits. It was he who infused the fans with just the right amount of musical adrenaline, which was manifested by crazy chanting and waving their hands in the air. Everywhere I looked, I could only see the stares of the spectators and their enthusiasm. And I enjoyed it with them. That is, if I wasn’t looking at the screen behind the stage where the original music videos and visuals for the given songs were projected.
What about me beyond the greatest hits from Fifty’s repertoire, including balls In the club or Window Shopper what was even more interesting and delightful were his ongoing tributes to deceased rappers he was related to. First there was the memory of Pop Smok, one of the most ambitious rappers of the young generation, who, however, killed only twenty. Then it was also remembered of the iconic Coolio, author Gangster’s paradisewho passed away recentlyand Prodigy, who was once one half of Mobb Depp’s rap group.
The inclusion of the violinists, who at first I thought would play the entire piece in a rather operatic mode, was also clever. But then it took a completely different turn, a hard beat came, Fifty’s uncompromising rap and all of a sudden it was a magical fusion of styles that gave the large crowd a reason to jump and wave again.
I thought I would have nothing to complain about the concert because I really enjoyed it and enjoyed every moment. And I actually assumed that the longer 50 Cent stood there and rapped, the better it would be – I’d see him for a long time. But no, paradoxically it was the other way around.
Since the whole performance lasted about an hour and a half, in the last third of the show (that is, after 50 Cent changed clothes backstage for the second time), it gradually started to lose its spark for me. Although it sounded like the classic, when the artist says goodbye to the audience, but the crowd encourages him to return to the stage and play “one last song”. Fifty did that too, but…
Half an hour less would suit it better
He immediately returned to the stage, of course to great applause and cheers, and played about six more songs. For me, the moment he played the third song after that artificial (non)ending, it lost its charm. And I actually got a little bored by the end, which I firmly believe is subjective. However, an hour and a half is too much in my opinion. So I left the concert with a smile on my face – and also slightly deaf.
It is undoubtedly an experience to see someone like 50 Cent live, especially if you like rap. And since – due to his age – this could be the last tour with which he visited Prague, it was an opportunity that he may never repeat. If the show was thirty minutes shorter, I’d give it maximum points. So, following the example of the main star, perhaps straight away fifty.
But now I give forty-seven and turn it on Candy shop on Apple Music before I switch to the mode of preparing for the next exciting concert that will be hosted by the O2 arena. It is an American punk rock band Blink-182, who returned in the original line-upreleases a new album and is preparing his biggest tour yet. Prague will not be missed.