By Kat Noel
Monster Jam, New England’s supreme annual concert, put on by JAM’N 94.5, is where artists meet to produce a night of eclectic enjoyment. This year’s extravaganza, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, offered performances from Da Band, 112, Fabulous, Lil Jon, Chingy, Ludacris, Obie Trice and 50 Cent, who headlined the event.
The concert crowd, mostly made up of pubescent avid TRL watchers, gave each act a lot of love.
As Fabulous took the Monster Jam stage at the FleetCenter, 112, the hip-hop soulful quartet known for their smooth R’B ballads, graciously answered questions backstage in the Press Room about their upcoming album, “Hot and Wet,” which will be released Nov. 18.
“This album is much more personal,” said Slim, the quartet’s front man. “Four individuals forming a super group. We’re a true definition of a true group.”
On “Hot and Wet,” 112 got very personal with tracks discussing their experiences growing from boys to men and with a Bad Boy Records production deal. Slim guarantees that, regardless of the fact that 112 has officially joined the Def Jam/ Def Soul family, this new album will be like all the past 112 albums.
“When you buy a 112 album, from the time you hit play you won’t to touch that button,” Slim said.
Ludacris, one of ATL’s finest, was definitely one of the concert’s show stoppers of the evening. Ludacris captivated the crowd with fast-paced rhymes accented with his distinct drawl. Audience members were compelled to abandon their seats and dance along to the catchy southern beats of past album “Word of Mouf” and newest offering “Chicken ‘ Beer.” The crowd rapped along when Luda and Shawnna, a fellow Disturbing Tha Peace artist, performed the raunchy “What’s Your Fantasy?,” which actually got Ludacris signed to Def Jam.
It was Shawnna who in the end held the audience’s attention when she stole the show and exhibited her quick-tongued rhyming skills. As the arena’s lights dimmed on Lil Jon’s performance, Monster Jam’s crowd anxiously waited for the final artist and headliner to cap off the night. The FleetCenter was filled with a deafening ring of screams as Shady Aftermath’s current rap superstar walked onto the stage. Surrounded by his G-Unit entourage and hype men, 50 Cent immediately took control of the stage.
Throughout his performance, 50 emitted an energy so strong that it was transmitted from the stage and touched even the concert goers sitting in the nosebleed section. When the rapper commanded audience members to stand, everyone in the FleetCenter arena obediently rose to their feet and bobbed their heads to familiar car bumping bangers as “In da Club,” “P.I.M.P.” and “What Up Gangsta.”
The muscular rapper definitely knew how to get the female patrons screaming when he removed his shirt. It was obvious by his constant boyish grin that 50 Cent genuinely loves where he is in his life right now and what he does.
JAM’N definitely saved the best for last.
