On Thursday February 12, Roc Nation descended on Manhattan’s Flatiron District for an outdoor concert hailed as the Roc City Classic. The show, which was billed as hosted by Kevin Durant and Kanye West, felt like a victory lap for the management group and record label to flex on how it had grown from a collective of several rappers under the tutelage of Jay-Z to a bona fide talent representation group that is seeing exponential growth of late.
What was billed as the 1st annual “classic” really amounted to an hour and change Kanye´ performance in an extremely unique locale, blocking traffic on 23rd and Broadway in Midtown Manhattan. Kevin Durant was only visible for a few moments before the show when he came out to take a selfie with the crowd and Travis Scott served as an opening act for Kanye, who brought out a handful of guests as he rattled off his post-Cruel Summer hits. That being said, the event did come with some incredible moments and gave us a bit more insight into the world of Roc Nation.
Jay-Z is a Business, Man. He is No Longer an Entertainer.
Kanye West and Kevin Durant may be the biggest names involved in the Roc Nation family but this is the house that Hov built. Prior to the start of the show the screens showed a montage of talent, proving just how impressive the Roc roster actually is. From Robinson Cano and Shakira to Angie Martinez and the aforementioned West and Durant the list goes on and on with no shortage of impressive and money-making names.
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Throughout this showboating, which culminated in West bringing out all his G.O.O.D. Music friends, the founder of the company was conspicuously absent. As song after song was made complete with guests coming out to do their verses, Jay-Z’s “Clique” verse went omitted. It’s been a long-time coming but signs continue to point to Jay-Z leaving music behind for bigger, but perhaps not better, ventures.
Live Guest Verses Are a Concept That Should Become a Trend.
I have no proof, but can be fairly certain that the Roc City Classic was the first time that the hit song “Mercy” was performed with every bar included live. As the beat for one of 2012’s hottest tracks dropped, Kanye, who was already on stage with Pusha T, was joined by Big Sean, 2 Chainz and Travis Scott doing his best hype man impression for good measure.
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At most rap shows guest verses are either played over the speakers as the artist and crowd listen together or skipped over. The Roc City Classic provided a unique experience, seeing not one but a handful of guests ready to fill in the bars that they have on various tracks. Though it may not be feasible at most shows and on most tours and may be better suited for festivals and events such as the Roc City Classic, seeing guest verses given their due, especially the some of the more noteworthy verses, was extremely memorable.
Travis Scott Is Up Next
The majority of the guests to come up during Kanye’s set served as additions to his show, filling in where they did in the studio and for Big Sean and Pusha-T, performing their own solo hits. This one of a kind platform provided the greatest and newest exposure for Travis Scott.
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Scott released his most popular project to this point, Days Before Rodeo, as a free album to acclaim from both fans and his bosses at G.O.O.D. Music in August of last year. Since that release he has been mostly silent as far as releases but between his opening set and his inclusion in the ceremonies, it seems that he is the next one up in the Roc Nation agenda.
New York is The Center of the Hip-Hop Universe
The hosts were from Chicago and Washington D.C. The other performers were from Houston, Virginia, Georgia and Detroit. But the crowd was in New York. Regardless of where the debate stands on where the best rap music is coming from, New York is still the center of that universe and in the words of Frank Sinatra, later adopted by Sean Carter, “If you can make it here, you’ll make it anywhere.”
That is why these artists from around the United States made themselves available to perform a show unlike any of its kind just steps from the 40/40 Club and a mere subway ride from the birthplaces of the forefathers of the art form that they further push forth today.
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Kanye’s Boom Bap Days May Be Behind Him
In the early days of producer turned emcee Kanye West, we heard a reimagination of the classic hip-hop sound. It was boom bap being mixed with the musical acumen and deep track knowledge of a production genius. Since those College Dropout/Late Registration/Graduation days we have seen Kanye’s sound change and transform.
From the autotune aided ballads of 808’s and Heartbreak to the stadium grandiose ever-melding beats of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. From the electronic experimental Watch The Throne to the genre defying Yeezus Kanye has kept his sound shifting and left himself impossible to peg.
All early indications point to his latest work moving further from classic rap structure and sound as he has been slowly but surely doing since the trifecta of hip-hop classics with which he started his career. From “Only One” to the recently released “Wolves” it would be safest to abandon all expectation and just get ready for another Kanye release unlike any you have heard before.
