Middlebury jumps to hip-hop jams Triple threat J5, Naughty by Nature and Rahzel rock Kenyon

Author: Alex Gilman

Saturday, April 29, the Nelson Arena played home to the largest spring concert in Middlebury history, as hip-hop titans Naughty By Nature, Jurassic 5 (J5) and Rahzel put on a show that impressed both Middlebury students and the hip-hop loving Middlebury community at large. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB), this show proved to be an unprecedented uniting of such large-name acts, and did not disappoint.

Even before the show began, entering concertgoers were treated to a warm up set from a local DJ, who made the best of a largely thankless job by stringing together an excellent set of danceable hip-hop to build the energy and excitement of the completely sober crowd.

At around 8:30, as the last of the stragglers made their way into the arena, the lights dropped, and the audience gasped as the man known only as Rahzel - who has made an impressive name for himself even after his untimely departure from The Roots - made his way to the stage. He launched into an entertainment act that combined many of his original songs with his almost inhuman ability to beatbox and duplicate popular songs. At one point, he thrilled the crowd with his popular rendition of the late Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew," to which he both adds original words and simultaneously imitates the melody and drumbeat. "It was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my wild life," gushed James Petsoulakis '06.

As the opener, Rahzel played a shortened set. After a slight intermission the show resumed with an act that may not technically have been the headliner, but was nevertheless perhaps even more anticipated - the immortal Naughty By Nature. Consisting of MC's Treach and Vinnie, this Illtown, NJ, group is one of the biggest acts in hip-hop history, boasting multiple Grammy Awards and platinum albums. With such songs as "O.P.P." and "Ghetto Bastard," this storied group did not disappoint, taking the audience - many of whom grew up in the group's most popular era - on a musical tour back to the early 90s.

While on stage, Naughty by Nature showcased the talent for performance that used to sell out even the most massive arenas in the world. Treach, who is rumored to receive injections of vitamin B12, stalked the stage shirtless, pumping up the crowd with his infectious enthusiasm. Chi Nguyen '06, who described NBN as "absolutely amazing when I was in 3rd grade," was pleased to find that Naughty by Nature still had it. "Treach is a beast and the show was outrageous. He took us all to hip-hop Town." While Naughty By Nature performed, Jurassic 5 - notoriously avid fans of classic hip-hop - watched from the audience with everyone else. When the time came, however, J5 took the stage and amazed from beginning to end.

This headlining act broke out onto the L.A. hip-hop scene in 1993 and since has stuck to an old-school vibe reminiscent of a time when hip-hop was all about the music and having a good time. Therefore, it's no surprise that one of J5's strongest attributes comes in the form of its charisma. A six-piece act with DJ's Numark and Cut Chemist setting the stage for MCs Akil, Zaakir, Mark 7even and Chali 2na, J5 is unique in its dynamic tag-team delivery. This style translates particularly well to the live setting, seen as the group fed off of the enthusiastic crowd to deliver a unique concert experience. Led by the popular and charismatic Chali 2na, the group performed many of their biggest hits, including "Jayou," "If You Only Knew," "Quality Control" and "Concrete Schoolyard." The towering 2na brought the crowd to life every time he called out "Middlebury!", even acknowledging the women's basketball team who responded by dancing on stage.

At the end of the show, J5 thanked the exhausted crowd, acknowledging Middlebury's reputation as a great college for live music. The fans responded with booming applause and praise for the experience. "I'm from a small village in Connecticut, and we don't get much in the way of live music," said a sweaty Mackenzie Gowdey-Backus '06. "To see a show like this is a dream come true." Matthew Powers '06 was a bit more direct. "That [expletive deleted] was dope," he said. Regardless of how you'd choose to phrase it, this was a tremendous show that will be long remembered by all in attendance.