Summer Jam '99

The event that all of us hip hop fans await year after year is the HOT 97 Summer Jam. This is the concert where who's who of the hip hop world will get together to put on a show unlike any other. The place: the Continental Arena in East Rutherford, NJ; the time: 7:30pm on Thursday, June 24th, in the 99. The Continental Arena was intoxicated with young faces: black, white, Latino hailing from all the five boroughs and New Jersey - New Jerseyans definitely represented with the loudest cheers.

Fat Man Scoop of Hot 97 started the show off. Everyone enjoyed his energetic performance, as he performed songs from his mix tape. Scoop, though, did something that had us all twitching: he took off his shirt AND he dropped his pants, YES he dropped his pants. The man was on stage in his boxer shorts. I think that just by his name, "fat man," you can imagine the scene. He was jiggling parts of the body that shouldn't have been jiggling; it wasn't a pretty sight.

After Scoop's "Fat" performance the show got under way with R&B group 702. The Las Vegas trio performed 2 songs, the first being their debut hit "Stelo." We were all waiting for Missy Elliot to appear as her part of the song came on, but no such luck. The other was the female anthem, "Were My Girls At"; they definitely rocked the house with that song.

After 702 the Violator Crew was ready to set it off. Q-Tip blazed onto the stage. He rocked a new look with his hair blown out looking thugged out. We all went crazy when the beat for "Scenario" came on. He took it back. It was off the hook, especially when Busta Rhymes bolted onto the stage to do his part of the song. Phife Dog also made a special appearance; it was so ill seeing them together again. At least for that moment it was as if A Tribe Called Quest was back and rocking shows once again. "Vivrant Things" the new song from the Violator upcoming album was also a crowd pleaser.

The following Violator or Viola-tress was Missy. Her on stage performance was good with dancers, explosions, and high energy; but she was on stage for no more than 10 minutes. It was just too short of a time to fully enjoy her performance. Busta Rhymes, one of my favorite artists of the night really brought the arena down. Busta is one of the most energetic performers I've ever seen. As soon as he appeared on stage it was like his mere presence was enough to make people go wild. Among others, he performed his trademark song "Put Your Hands Were My Eyes Could See;" and people still LOVE that song. Flip Mode Squad made a special appearance and performed "Setting it off" from the album Imperial.