I’ll be the first to admit, MC Rappers aren’t usually found on the top of my favorites list. As a DJ, I usually tend to favor radio hit rappers such as 50 Cent or Ludacris. Aside from this preference, I headed over to Talib Kweli’s Marquette University show with an open mind and a blank review sheet.
    Following a fantastic opening performance by Milwaukee’s own, Rusty P’s, the lights of the room fired up. Although the Rusty P’s generated a lot of hype from the adoring fans, all the energy slowly began to die down as fans waited nearly an hour for Talib’s performance to begin. The up beat, bass powered jams played over the sound system served as a good deterrent from the wait, but by the time Talib took center stage, I was exhausted.  
    When the room went dark at 9:10 pm, the room erupted with cheers. By this point, the audience had nearly doubled since the opening act. Talib’s DJ appeared first, and after reenergizing the crowd, Talib made his appearance. Although I had heard a few of Talib’s tunes on the radio, I had never seen him before. As far as a first impression goes, I was impressed by his look. His style paralleled his apparent personality of a guy who loved to perform.
    Although his performance only lasted about an hour (including encore), every moment as packed with energy. The light show accompanying Talib’s catchy tunes were very sophisticated. Although there were several occasions during the show where the volume was low, Talib was the first one to call it out. “Hey Sound Man, is there some sort of volume restriction here, lets turn it up!” He even restarted one of his songs to ensure that his audience got their, “bang for their buck.”
    As I sat in my seat following the show, I couldn’t help but reflect upon the hour. I scribbled some final notes on my review sheet and headed home, all the way feeling like my night had been well spent.