Though freeway traffic was a nightmare and the weather was quite warm in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, it didn’t stop thousands of fans from turning out for the second annual BET Experience held at L.A. Live.
Guests wandered about the free fan fest in the L.A. Live courtyard as well as in the Los Angeles Convention center, checking out the various vendors and stopping at stages to hear up-and-coming talent and turns by more seasoned acts like Warren G, Nipsey Hussle and Trey Songz. Many of them had also purchased tickets to see OutKast’s fun and lively set at Staples Center or the late-night jam session with the Roots featuring special guests at Club Nokia.
The BET Experience has grown considerably since its debut last year. The Black Entertainment Television Network and concert promoters at AEG teamed up once again to host the three-day affair, which kicked off Friday with a performance by R&B singer Maxwell at Staples Center and concluded Sunday with Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson and more, also at the arena.
Throughout the weekend, there were dozens of free and ticketed events, including a celebrity basketball game, an exhibit at the Grammy Museum, comedy shows at Club Nokia, dance contests, panel discussions and a health-and-wellness pavilion.
All this is the BET Experience, created to build buzz for and more of a sense of community around the annual BET Awards show, an annual gala that recognizes achievements by African Americans and other minorities in music, cinema, television, sports and comedy. This year’s event, hosted by comedian Chris Rock, was held at Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live on Sunday.
OutKast’s headlining run was packed with energy. The duo, also known as Andre 3000 and Big Boi, connected well with audience members and had them on their feet and singing along from the start with the rapid-fire track “B.O.B.” followed quickly by “Gasoline Dreams.” It seemed like everyone in the sold-out arena knew the lyrics to “Ms. Jackson,” off 2001’s “Stankonia,” and they went crazy when rapper Slick Rick joined in on “Da Art of Storytellin’ Part 1.”
Since its big reunion performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, OutKast has gone on to headline several large festivals. The guys are certainly more comfortable on stage now, playing well off each other and utilizing their stage props – like the large screen cube that had images projected on it throughout the set – more to enhance the show rather than as a crutch. Both singles from the 2003 double album “Speakerboxx/The Love Below” went over big, with fans grooving along to “The Way You Move” and shaking it up during “Hey Ya!”
Though OutKast’s set was solid, the rest of the evening was a bit of a mixed bag. New York rapper A$AP Rocky allowed himself to be out-shined by his crew. Decked from head to toe in light denim, he was easy enough to spot on stage, but there were times when his A$AP mob, which included a handful of skilled rappers, more or less made him disappear. The crowd, which had started to finally fill the arena, was also not impressed and remained in their seats for just about all of the first half of his set.
Rick Ross, who had just been released from jail that morning, didn’t seem too bothered by his legal troubles. Ross was arrested for failure to appear in court on a previous misdemeanor marijuana charge after a concert in North Carolina on Friday night. He received a massive response from the audience and confidently launched into “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast),” “Hold Me Back” and a couple of tracks he had collaborated on with DJ Khaled, “I’m On One” and “All I Do Is Win.”
The much-hyped, up-and-coming 21-year-old New Orleans rapper August Alsina’s performance was underwhelming. His mic mix was awful, and his vocal cut in and out, buried mostly by the bass during the duration of his set. However, he still passionately delivered tracks off his Def Jam debut, “Testimony,” which dropped in April, including “I Luv This Sh**,” “Ghetto” and “Make it Home.”
After the lights were turned on at Staples Center, it was time for the Roots, the house band from “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” to take the stage at Club Nokia. The set began around 11:15 p.m. and included songs like “Adrenaline” and “The Fire.” Orange County resident and hip hop star Warren G was one of a handful of guests to appear, turning out for “Regulate,” “This DJ” and “Do You See.” By midnight, the Roots were in full jam mode, showcasing each player’s incredible talent, but after a long day at the BET Experience, the crowd’s infectious energy was starting to fade. Things did pick back up, however, when Talib Kweli took a turn and Redman, Method Man and Doug E. Fresh graced the stage.
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