BROOKLYN'S FINEST

October 16, 2009

Hova, Young Hov, Jigga man, Sean Carter, Mr. Beyonce, the list goes on and on.

Jay-Z goes by a lot of names, but there’s no confusing his title as the greatest rapper alive.

Brooklyn’s finest, a giant in the rap game since 1996, graced Vancouver with his presence Friday night and those at GM Place lucky enough to have their ears blessed with his rhymes know that Jay-Z doesn’t just talk a big game, he backs it up in spades.

Jay-Z is as unpredictable as they come when he steps on stage. Is he going to drop one of the songs that have won him Grammys, or float off into a lyrical jambalaya freestyling quick enough to cause dizziness?

The two-hour show, which was opened by N.E.R.D, the mega rock, funk and hip-hop band led by Pharrell Williams, started off with new material from Jay-Z’s latest release The Blueprint 3.

“Run This Town” and “D.O.A (Death of Auto-tune)” put the crowd of 11,000 strong into a nice groove before fellow New York rapper Memphis Bleek joined Jay-Z on stage to official kick off one wild night.

“99 Problems,” “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),” “Jigga What, Jigga Who?” and “Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)” made way for “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” which Jay-Z used as an opportunity to honor Michael Jackson as he mixed the lyrics with the beat from Jackson 5’s “ABC.”

Dressed in all black from head to toe with a pimped New York Yankees hat taking up real estate on his head, Jay-Z was a smooth as ever on this night, rarely missing a beat or an opportunity to hold up his patented Diamond Cutter to give the crowd a major jolt.

The highlight of the show for many was when Pharrell Williams returned to the spotlight to lend his voice on “So Ambitious,” another track from Jay-Z’s latest album.

When the smoke cleared The Blueprint 3 fueled the 20-song performance, but Jay-Z hasn’t forgotten the tunes that have made him a household name with rap lovers and haters alike.

“Show Me What You Got,” “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” “Can I Get A…” “Big Pimpin’” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” all found their way into the set-list. Hova left everyone wanting more after “Encore” and “Young Forever” ushered up the house lights.

Before the show ended Jay-Z took the time to point out roughly 100 people in the crowd that were giving him “a lot of energy and really holding it down right,” he then thanked everyone in the Garage for their unwavering support telling them that with enough drive and dedication dreams do come true.

For most, simply seeing Jay-Z live was a dream come true and the greatest rapper alive proved himself worthy of the billing.