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SCRANTON — Hip-hop, which has dominated record sales for decades, has struggled to find its identity on stage. Often, a hip-hop concert is nothing more than glorified karaoke, plagued by bass-heavy sound and an emphasis on style and ego over substance and music.
Lil Wayne, however, is in another category.
Kicking off his “America’s Most Wanted” tour Monday night at Toyota Pavilion at Montage, Wayne was more of a rock frontman than an MC. He led his band — bassist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, DJ and occasional backing vocalists and dancers — through a dazzling set that never lost its momentum.
Wayne — real name Dwayne Carter, also called Weezy — is known as a musical innovator who recently played guitar during a “Saturday Night Live” performance and is working on a new, oft-delayed album, “Rebirth,” which is expected to take the 26-year-old in a more rock direction. Merging rock with rap is nothing new — Weezy himself admitted to that by playing a few licks from Aerosmith and Run DMC’s “Walk This Way” Monday night — but that makes it no less interesting.
Wayne’s headlining set opened with video footage from his “backstage compound” at Montage and his drummer kicking out some tribal beats over ominous synthesizers. The bassist, guitarist and DJs built up the anticipation, which was released in a hail of fireworks as the star entered the stage, rapping “A Milli” from last year’s “Tha Carter III” album.
Clad in a white T-shirt, baggy camouflage shorts hanging down to his ankles, a black baseball cap and sunglasses, Weezy addressed the crowd after “A Milli.” “How the f--k ya’ll doin’, Scranton? My name is Weezy F. Baby.” He told the amped-up audience that there were three important things to remember: “I believe in God,” “I ain’t shit without you,” and “I ain’t shit without you” again.
The message was Weezy seems to value his fans — and his band, which he generously introduced early in the set and allowed prominent positions onstage. This stands in stark contrast to fellow icon Kanye West, who last year on the same stage kept his band hidden and bitched about the unfairness of his situation to the very people that were keeping him a millionaire.
Anyway, Wayne busted out the Auto-Tune vocals for “Sky’s the Limit,” an effect he used tastefully throughout the show. “Mr. Carter” was rich and layered, a driving rock piece with a well-delivered guitar solo.
In addition to the “Walk This Way” riff partway through the show, Wayne paid tribute to slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. with a version of B.I.G. and Junior Mafia’s “Get Money.” He also spotlighted his DJ, DJ4our 5ive, on “Go DJ” as well as Mack Maine, a rapper signed to Weezy’s Young Money record label. Yes, it was an opportunity for Wayne to cross-promote his label, but it also was a chance for him to yield the spotlight, which he did several times Monday.
Arguably, the best moment of the evening came when Wayne and his band played “Prom Queen,” a single from the upcoming “Rebirth.” Peppered with spiky guitar riffs, an Auto-Tuned Wayne dueted with a female vocalist as dancers shook pompoms. It was loud, taut and passionate, showcasing all of the potential of a genre that often falls flat outside of the studio.
The tour’s undercard includes Soulja Boy Tell ’Em, performing his hits “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and “Kiss Me Thru The Phone,” and Young Jeezy, whose set picked up after a slow, muddy start, thanks in part to the addition of a horn section. w
Lil Wayne, however, is in another category.
Kicking off his “America’s Most Wanted” tour Monday night at Toyota Pavilion at Montage, Wayne was more of a rock frontman than an MC. He led his band — bassist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, DJ and occasional backing vocalists and dancers — through a dazzling set that never lost its momentum.
Wayne — real name Dwayne Carter, also called Weezy — is known as a musical innovator who recently played guitar during a “Saturday Night Live” performance and is working on a new, oft-delayed album, “Rebirth,” which is expected to take the 26-year-old in a more rock direction. Merging rock with rap is nothing new — Weezy himself admitted to that by playing a few licks from Aerosmith and Run DMC’s “Walk This Way” Monday night — but that makes it no less interesting.
Wayne’s headlining set opened with video footage from his “backstage compound” at Montage and his drummer kicking out some tribal beats over ominous synthesizers. The bassist, guitarist and DJs built up the anticipation, which was released in a hail of fireworks as the star entered the stage, rapping “A Milli” from last year’s “Tha Carter III” album.
Clad in a white T-shirt, baggy camouflage shorts hanging down to his ankles, a black baseball cap and sunglasses, Weezy addressed the crowd after “A Milli.” “How the f--k ya’ll doin’, Scranton? My name is Weezy F. Baby.” He told the amped-up audience that there were three important things to remember: “I believe in God,” “I ain’t shit without you,” and “I ain’t shit without you” again.
The message was Weezy seems to value his fans — and his band, which he generously introduced early in the set and allowed prominent positions onstage. This stands in stark contrast to fellow icon Kanye West, who last year on the same stage kept his band hidden and bitched about the unfairness of his situation to the very people that were keeping him a millionaire.
Anyway, Wayne busted out the Auto-Tune vocals for “Sky’s the Limit,” an effect he used tastefully throughout the show. “Mr. Carter” was rich and layered, a driving rock piece with a well-delivered guitar solo.
In addition to the “Walk This Way” riff partway through the show, Wayne paid tribute to slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. with a version of B.I.G. and Junior Mafia’s “Get Money.” He also spotlighted his DJ, DJ4our 5ive, on “Go DJ” as well as Mack Maine, a rapper signed to Weezy’s Young Money record label. Yes, it was an opportunity for Wayne to cross-promote his label, but it also was a chance for him to yield the spotlight, which he did several times Monday.
Arguably, the best moment of the evening came when Wayne and his band played “Prom Queen,” a single from the upcoming “Rebirth.” Peppered with spiky guitar riffs, an Auto-Tuned Wayne dueted with a female vocalist as dancers shook pompoms. It was loud, taut and passionate, showcasing all of the potential of a genre that often falls flat outside of the studio.
The tour’s undercard includes Soulja Boy Tell ’Em, performing his hits “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and “Kiss Me Thru The Phone,” and Young Jeezy, whose set picked up after a slow, muddy start, thanks in part to the addition of a horn section. w
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