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Teyana Taylor
J Events: One Hell of a Nite Tour at Jiffy Lube Live
Before the summer came to an end, I had to go to one last concert at Jiffy Lube Live. I have yet to see the second coming of Chris Brown (post-Rihannagate), and though I have tried to wait out what has turned into a (very, very) very long phase, my curiousity got the best of me. With all the turmoil and drama surrounding his personal life, could Chris still shut down a stage?
The Good: Chris performs his whole catalog; like the entire thing. He takes you back to the very beginning — for many of us where the love affair first started — as if he knows he has to “get that old thing back.” Just as you give into your deep-rooted nostalgia * insert googly eyes* he races toward the present with hits like “Deuces” and “Strip.” From there it’s hit. After hit. After hit.
He didn’t do nearly as much choreography as I’d hoped, but when he did he SLAYED. My favorite moment was his dance break to “Hit the Quan,” everybody was out of their seats!
The Bad: Though I tried to go into the concert as objectively as possible (focusing solely on the music), as an entertainment critic, you can’t help but see the major effects his personal choices have had on his day job. The drinking and drugs have affected his range and it was odd to see him have so many stationary moments behind the mic, especially when he often curtailed any vocal acrobatics. It didn’t feel intentional, but necessary for him to keep up with the pace of the show.
There’s no mistaking it — Chris is the greatest entertainer of our generation. His natural born abilities are unparalleled; and yet, he is still not ready to take on the full weight of that role — he just isn’t there yet.
This tour is not Chris at his best, but if you’re simply looking for a fun summer night with friends you definitely get it with the One Hell of a Nite Tour.
J Thoughts: If I Had to Hear a Song 100x…
Every day, I drive an hour and a half to work. And when the work day ends, I drive an hour and a half home.
And every day, I hear the same 10-15 songs on the radio. Over. And over. And over, again.
It’s unclear how radio expects to maintain an audience with such rigid playlist parameters, but I’ll save my top 5 questions I’ve always wanted to ask a program director for another day.
The three songs I never want to hear again, and the ones I would replace them with:
The Worst – Jhené Aiko
Initially I was happy to hear an R&B song in heavy rotation, even if it’s one of my least favorite by Jhené Aiko. After replay 2,567 though, I’ve had enough. #theworst
Na Na – Trey Songz
It was tolerable at first. Catchy. Yet and still, so basic. And intolerable after 7 months. Next.
Loyal – Chris Brown Ft. Lil’ Wayne
Who didn’t love “Loyal” when it was first released? Questionable lyrics aside, it’s uptempo, has an infectious beat and (what feels like) fun wordplay. Even with Chris behind bars during the promotion period (-___-), the song took on a life of its own. But now that I’ve had AMPLE opportunity to learn and relearn all the words, I mostly cringe when I hear it. *raises hand* Not loyal.
New Flame – Chris Brown Ft. Usher, Rick Ross
While we wait on the new Chris Brown x Drake, “New Flame” can certainly hold us over. Yes, Chris can rap and “sing-talk,” but I love the songs where he is full-out crooning, he has such a wholesome sound, sighs. (Don’t ask me what he’s really saying though.)
The track gets a huge boost from the original heartbreak, Usher. I could do without Rick Ross, but you can’t win ’em all.
Dumb – Jazmine Sullivan Ft. Meek Mill
Jazmine Sullivan fans have been waiting 3 years for new music, so when I woke up to the world premiere of “Dumb” on the Breakfast Club last month, I was too hype. It has a nice groove, the obligatory rap feature — play my girl Jazzy!!
Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake
I don’t care what genre the song falls into by industry standards, it makes you feel good, plain and simple. Everyone should be playing it. (Not that I agree with the decision to release posthumous projects, but that’s neither here nor there…)