Though his birthday isn’t for a pair extra weeks, Houston rapper/burger slinger Bun B used his fourth time because the Houston Livestock Present and Rodeo’s resident Black Heritage Day music curator to throw himself a Birthday Bonanza live performance on Friday, March 7 — and it was an odd lineup with some awkward technical glitches.
Earlier than the present began, tributes got to Sylvester Turner and Sheila Jackson Lee. Then, TSU’s Ocean of Soul and Prairie View A&M’s Marching Storm bands teamed up and gave twin, thundering units earlier than becoming a member of forces and performing collectively for the introduced crowd of 69,667.
After a bunch of fireworks and pyrotechnics went off a couple of minutes earlier than 9:30 pm, a clip bundle of celebs giving Bun birthday needs performed on the screens. This bundle included comedians (Cedric the Entertainer, Gary Owen), rappers (Slim Thug, Paul Wall) and a predictably creepy message from wrestling legend The Undertaker. Then, Ennio Morricone’s “Man with No Identify” theme began enjoying and Bun got here out rocking a protracted leather-based coat with fringes and a cowboy hat that when once more had the Monster Vitality Drink brand on the entrance. He and his band began issues off with “Get Throwed.”
In contrast to his earlier “Takeover” exhibits, the live performance didn’t have a transparent musical theme. For the previous few weeks, Bun has gotten clowned on social media for his all-over-the-place lineup. (Fb trolls had been mocking up flyers saying different potential artists, together with Ice JJ Fish and Milli Vanilli.)
Nevertheless, the lineup did give off a Black dad’s Spotify playlist form of vitality, and it did seem to be Bun (quickly to be 52) booked a number of favorites from his library. First up was So So Def’s resident boy band Jagged Edge, who did a medley of their late ‘90s/early 2000s hits. After that was a shock efficiency from Do or Die, a Chicago rap group who was signed to Houston’s Rap-A-Lot Data again within the day. They carried out their hit tune “Po Pimp,” which Bun mentioned he usually carried out throughout sound checks. Each acts dressed Black-dad informal, like they had been going to their youngsters’ soccer sport after this.
If there was one artist individuals had been really anticipating, it was R&B temptress Coco Jones. Popping out in an all-white ensemble, together with shiny cargo pants and a cowboy hat, she led the gang with a pair bars of “Right here We Go (Uh Oh)” earlier than doing “Style,” from her upcoming album Why Not Extra? Jones was the primary of a number of artists who had audio issues through the present, switching mics midway by means of when her voice wasn’t selecting up all around the stadium.
At this level on this present, Bun B got here again out in a beige waistcoat with the UGK brand bedazzled on the again, wanting like a land baron on Gunsmoke. “I consider I appear to be one million {dollars} in right here,” he mentioned, earlier than introducing shock performer Tommy Richman. Richman, who had a present earlier that night at White Oak Music Corridor, stopped by to do his TikTok hit “Million Greenback Child.”
Native gospel nice Yolanda Adams got here out subsequent, in a white zip-up and spangly denims, singing throughout an In Memoriam bundle of Black individuals who died just lately (like Turner) and who’ve been useless for some time now (like DMX). Throughout this efficiency, one of many background singers’ mics was louder than Adams’s, one thing she appeared to select up on.
After performing a few her peppier gospel numbers, Adams requested Bun, “Don’t you assume it’s time to deliver out the slabs?” A quartet of slabs rolled up subsequent to the stage, carrying some native rap legends, as Bun carried out a pair UGK tunes. Then, Bun introduced out Houston MC Don Toliver, who arrived in a crimson Ferrari. As soon as he hopped out (carrying what regarded like a black leather-based tracksuit with fringes and a blue handkerchief round his face), he carried out a number of songs but additionally struggled with microphone issues.
Subsequent, Bun launched one other shock performer: T.I. All dreaded up and carrying what regarded like a pleather outfit, the Atlanta vet did a boisterous set, pulling out a number of his 2000s hits and saying, “I’m the king, bitch!” each now and again.
Keith Sweat was subsequent, giving the correct amount of old style vitality as he sang hits from his New Jack Swing heyday. Sweat prematurely left the stage at one level, pondering his set was over. However when the music for “How Deep Is Your Love?” started enjoying, he returned. He saved face by asking the gang, “You thought I used to be completed?”
An Ali Siddiq video appeared as soon as as Bun launched Ludacris, the ultimate performer of the evening. Identical to his fellow ATL rap god T.I., Luda gave an lively efficiency (in cowhide-looking shorts!). He pulled out all of the classics, together with “Stand Up” and “Transfer B***h,” earlier than main all the viewers in singing “Comfortable Birthday” to Bun. Bun closed it out as all the time with UGK’s “Int’l Gamers Anthem.”
Yeah, it was a bizarre evening. There have been audio and visible glitches, a lineup that had every part from Soiled South legends to quiet-storm mainstays to one-hit wonders to gospel singers making a joyful noise. Bun took an formidable swing with this one, assembling a seize bag of his favourite artists for a freewheeling present that appealed to many demographics. I wouldn’t thoughts if he did it once more — however these mics higher be sorted out subsequent time.
