A couple of weeks ago I wrote a review about a show I saw at UNCC featuring Wale and starring J. Cole on the latter’s What Dreams May Come tour. Well, this past weekend my girlfriend Amanda and I took a trip to Atlanta to see this tour again….only this time we got to MEET J. Cole.
I can’t even explain how amazing it was. For years I had followed Cole, downloaded every track I could, bought both albums, gone to every show if he was within 150 miles of me etc. etc. And now, I had the chance to meet him.
It was an experience that I will never forget as long as I live. A lot of people in the hip-hop community who do make it can sometimes lose who they really are in the same process, but Cole has not forgotten where he comes from. He was such a down to earth person and from the second he dapped me up as I approached him it felt like I was finally getting to see and talk to a long lost friend. I had entertained the thought of putting up the conversation we had prior to taking our photo but I think I’m going to be selfish and keep that to myself. Just know that he truly is a very genuine individual who DOES care about his fans. After the photo I was given an autographed poster (best believe it will be framed) and we left the venue until doors opened back up later that night.
J. Cole & Myself
Amanda and I hit up a bar because let’s be serious, I was on an emotional rollercoaster and I needed a drink. ASAP. I don’t think I ever came down from cloud 9 that night though, because when we got back to the venue for the show, things only got better. I’ve been to plenty of shows before but this by far topped them all. We were first row. Not 2nd, not 3rd, not somewhere in between. FIRST. And did it have its perks.
Bas was once again the first act and we were here to see his set in full. For basically being unknown in the hip-hop community he did a pretty solid job.
DMV’s finest was up next: Wale.
I won’t make any bones about it. Wale killed it. Sporting his Washington Redskins chain and rocking an all white outfit, Folarin got Fox Theatre bumpin. He started with his verse on “No Hands” which had the crowd singing in unison. He then went into a spree of jams that included “Chain Music”, “Bait” and “Slight Work”. Wale showed off his footwork during the newest twerking anthem “Clappers” and I have to say he did work. He then got into “Ambition” and lit up for “Rotation”.
Wale
After his set the anticipation set in once again. The house lights came on and the stage hands began to put up Cole’s stage. Never have 15-20 minutes seemed so long.
Finally, it was time. The curtains dropped and what appeared was a full on VMA-like set up. A full band was composed and visuals were on a screen in the back behind it. The spotlights hit the top of the stairs and out came Jermaine to “Trouble”. The theater went crazy. I could feel the floor going up and down beneath my feet as everyone was jumping up and down losing their minds. It was pandemonium.
What else can I say? Cole absolutely murdered it. 187. Chalk outlines. Yellow tape. DOA.
I won’t waste any time going through his set list. I know I touched on it in a previous post and you can check it out on LiveNation.com if you want to. I will share some of the better photos I got though:
Folarin
Fayettenam’s Finest
#ColeWorld
And last but certainly not least, I did want to share one last thing. During the performance Cole did the song “Chris Tucker”, which appears on his Truly Yours 2 EP. Right after his line “no bitch I’m a doctor!” he cut the music and proceeded to go on a hilarious rant with the crowd. It was hilarious. Take a look:
I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did.
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