F-R-E-S-H

Welcome back faithful few! Sorry to tell you, there is no tirade this time around. There is so much out there that I could go off about (the robot Presidential candidate, the fucktards in Egypt, the lack of BJ and the Bear on Netflix) but I won't. I am here to talk about the greatest concert of the year; Fresh Fest.
If there are any Lil Wayne fans reading (not that I believe that there are) you should turn back now because you will not understand anything I am about to say. As a die hard old school hip hop fan, there aren't a lot of concerts that I want to go to. The local clubs and "arenas" would rather bring in 2 Chainz or some other shit act than go with something proven. NTelos Pavilion in Portsmouth.... that is a different story.
Every year (for the past three) nTelos Pavilion has decided that since old school acts aren't touring together, they will invite them separately to play on the same night. The turnout for this show is amazing. While the majority of the fans that come out for this festival are over age 40, there are some younger audience members in attendance. This year's show saw Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, and Salt n Pepa. There is not an artist on this list that I haven't been a fan of since the 1980s, and nTelos brought them all together on one stage.
This concert was like one big block party. Outside of my home, this is the closest I have felt to family. The other fans at this show felt the same as I did; THIS is hip hop. There was no fear of a fight breaking out, no worries of being shot by some dumb ass kid trying to be hard, nothing of the sort. This was a bunch of grown adults reliving their childhood, and the music that shaped their lives. There were no bouncers, no security guards keeping the crowd away from the stage, and no police stationed around the exits. There were shell toes, Kangols, giant hoop earrings, I even saw a guy with overalls on with one strap hanging off.
Not only does the rap music of today pale in comparison to the music of my teenage years (yes Bill, I understand where you are coming from, even if your wife doesn't), but the fans suck too. If Lil Wayne raps in the woods and there is no one there to hear it, does it still suck? I can answer that question with a definitive "Yes!" Hip hop is not just rap; it is a culture...it is a way of life. MCing, graffiti, b-boying, and DJing all make up what it is that we call hip hop. So while Dr Seuss is in essence a rapper, it takes a lot more to be an MC. Everyone on stage at Fresh Fest was a certified MC. So, to Lil Wayne and all his little carbon copies...rap may indeed be what you do, but hip hop..hip hop is what I am.
NTelos Pavilion...keep doing what you do. You keep bringing Fresh Fest, and the true fans will keep coming. Everyone else in the area, take notes. Do the masses want to see 2 Chainz? I say nay nay. Bring us KRS One, Kwame, Dana Dane, Black Sheep...hip hop shows that are safe for us to attend. Let us enjoy QUALITY hip hop, and we will keep coming back. Until next time people...Stay Salty.
-Salty Dog