The soothing voice of American soul singer James Ingram, who died in 2019, sounds through the speakers of Paradiso. 'One Hundred Ways' ripples back and forth until the audience recognizes the sample: that one, sensitive synthesizer solo by Quincy Jones. Then suddenly the beat shoots into the room like an arrow from a bow, and Yasiin Bey raps at the perfect moment to the rhythm of 'Rhymes like Dimes', the iconic track by the idiosyncratic, late rapper MF Doom (1971-2020).
Tonight Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) pays tribute to MF Doom, the alias of his contemporary Daniel Dumile. He also did it twice in Paris in January. Those shows sold out so quickly that he added one in Amsterdam. Paradiso was also sold out in just a few minutes. Special: Bey said he would quit music in 2016 and lived under the radar in Cape Town for years. So everyone wanted to be there.
The legendary MF Doom, who died due to a reaction to a high blood pressure drug, was a British rapper who grew up in New York. Always dressed in a metal mask (MF stands for 'Metal Face'), based on the Marvel villain Doctor Doom, he created his own rap universe. He decorated both his album covers and his beats in comic book style: detailed, baroque, full of bangs and fighting sounds, over soulful jazz samples and audio fragments from films and series. With aliases such as Viktor Vaughan, The Villain, King Gheedorah, Doom wrapped everything he did in a certain mysterious 'villainy' style. Successfully. Operation: Doomsdayhis debut album as a solo artist from 1999, is a milestone in hip-hop history.
Fathers with their sons
Back to Paradiso, where a masked Yasiin Bey walks onto the sober stage an hour later than announced, wearing a hat and a long striped coat. He scatters rose petals and whistles after birds. The audience, which largely consists of fathers who have brought their sons, is visibly tense. This must become legendary, Dad had promised. When Bey the melancholic 'Accordion' effort, the burden will at least be lifted from our shoulders. The baroque beats of Doom no longer sounded as good.
To remain in the mystical spirit of Doom, you are not allowed to film tonight. Bey didn't even really want any press there. We're here anyway because the show is so unique for hip-hop fans. But Bey is anything but mysterious about herself. Between tracks he preaches: “I'm not tripping, I'm aware that I'm a genius. I'm fucking great. I'm anointed by God.” He also speaks about love, hate, war, forgiveness and compassion. And about his new project with rapper and producer The Alchemist, from which he plays a promising track. So new music is coming. Thank goodness, because Bey is indeed a genius.
But not as brilliant as Doom. In Paris, Bey forgot the lyrics a few times – not surprising, given Doom's complicated rhyme schemes. That doesn't happen in Amsterdam, even if he starts 'Fancy Clown' again halfway through. He wants to do it perfectly. “What you are hearing now is one of the most beautiful and complex pieces of poetry in the English language,” he says. The audience cheers in approval. Bey is more lecturing than performing. And that is exactly what makes the show a success: an MC, a DJ, no fuss, no lasers, no confetti. Just a genius paying tribute to another genius artist. Tonight it's all about the craft, RAP: Rhythm And Poetry.
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