Welcome To The B-Side.
For one night only, Hov will headline his highly requested B-Sides concert at an undisclosed location in New York City. There’s no album to promote. In fact, it’s been nearly two years since his last LP Magna Carta Holy Grail. Instead, the show is in support of his recently acquired TIDAL streaming service.
To the frustrations of resellers, tickets aren’t for sale and entry is based on user submitted playlists. For TIDAL subscribers however, the concert will be streamed on the platform.
While most artists lean on their latest recording as a concert draw, Hov is banking on his “old shit”. Album cuts. Songs tucked away on soundtracks, compilations, and mixtapes. Barring his 2003 “retirement party”, this will be Jigga’s most important gig to date.
For nearly three years, I’ve been petitioning for this concert. Sure, its fun to sing along to platinum hits like, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” and “Can I Get A…” but what about those underground classics like, “Reservoir Dogs” and “It’s Like That” ? For far too long, pricey tickets and set list redundancy have dissuaded long time Jay Z fans. But with this concert, he can appeal directly to his core.
The thing that makes Jay Z’s b-sides so appealing is that his non-singles actually sound like singles. Thanks to producers like Kanye West and Just Blaze, Hov’s sound has been brewed for mass consumption. Songs like “Public Service Announcement” off The Black Album have been fermented from an interlude into the greatest performance hip-hop track of all time.
At last year’s Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, fans reveled when Jay sauntered on stage to his mixtape favorite, “Young, Gifted, and Black” before following it up with “We Made It (Freestyle)” and “Shiny Suit Theory”. Perhaps it truly is a gift a curse. With a catalogue deeper than a Brooklyn pothole, the toughest part about being Jay Z then, is pleasing everyone now.
Respectfully, Hov isn’t the only rapper with this much clout. Take Kanye West. At Tyler The Creator’s annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, The Odd Future frontman requested and joined Ye for a performance of his bonus gem, “Late”. Drake’s Soundcloud offerings generate the same (or even more) fervor as his serviced material. Nas made a classic off salvaged recordings. Eminem’s best moments aren’t on Billboard. 50 Cent’s mixtape material could double as karaoke in the hood.
He’s got to be pioneer to this shit, so it remains to be seen whether or not more rappers will follow Hov’s blueprint (It would be appreciated). But what is clear is that quality music bears no expiration date. Will he ever fall off? I think we all know the answer to that.
this shit is going to be crazy !
“Hov’s blueprint” haha I get it.
OH GOD ANOTHER POINTLESS JAY Z DICK-RIDING POST SMH
CRINGE
ALL BS ASIDE YOU WOULDN’T APPRECIATE A JAY Z BSIDES CONCERT ESPECIALLY IF HE CAN GET THE FEATURED ARTISTS TO SHOW UP? FK YO FEELINGS!!!
HOV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thats a picture of kanye lol
i hope more people take note. these tours are getting boring because artists are running thru a medley of their hits with a couple new joints off whatever album they are pushing at the time. its always the SAME hits. time to mix it up.
Honestly he could release a mix-tape of rare jay-z cuts and it would at least go gold ….
He needs to bring that bside concert to London – Do a secret concert would be nuts…
Nice little write up B-Dot.
Thanks yo,
@ B. Dot
YOU EITHER HAD AN ORGASM OR A SEIZURE AFTER WRITING THIS SHORT STORY!!!! YOU’VE UPPERED YHE ANT
Hey, I made my iTunes debut last night….. Any of you interested in supporting the kid or voicing your hate if I share a link?
Voicing my hate..i am all for that shit
Damn haha
Rightfully so, but you’re going to sound stupid if you don’t purchase and listen first. Right?
You jay stans tho.. This must be the highlight of your life
…………….HA!!!! ESPECIALLY B.DOT!!!! CHECK OUT HIS TWITTER!!!! IT’S UNOFFICIALLY JAY’S FAN CLUB PAGE!!!! LMAO!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
This nigga is a Stalker
THIS NIGGA IS A STANNER!!!! HA!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
yea, this concert is a great idea for fans…..
This concert should be for free..you know since he have multiple million dollar homes, expensive cars, shoes that cost as much as niggas car’s he should throw a free concert.
But it is for free, is it not? He doesnt owe us anything. Most folk want to be at this show… he’s doing it for the diehards.
after a rough start for tidal I’d would a free concert might him bounce back.
#PriviledgeMusicEra #20dollarBillNotHavinMoFo, lol.
I’m so proud of you B Dot! This is some impressive analytical music writing! This was one of the most thought-provoking op-eds I’ve seen in hip hop journalism since… since never. Even though we all know the people who visit Rap Radar are some of the most intelligent human being America has to offer, I worry that the deep complexities of this work will be overshadowed, because there is so much nuance. This is a triumph in music journalism and just art in general.
(This was sarcasm.)
Jay is receiving alot of bad press of Tidal, but he is just ahead of the curve. In 5 years, all major artists/labels will have their own streaming network.
This is gonna be dope, can’t wait. Don’t think it’s Jay’s second most important concert by any means though. Also, he usually does a surprising amount of B Side songs during his concerts.
Change that headline, it’s not for the fan at all. It’s for TIDAL subscribers. If this was a legit show and tour, it’d be awesome. Much rather see that than his regular show. D’Evils, A million & one, 2 Many Twos…..
You do know that Tidal Subscribers can be Jay Z fans too right?
ZING!
He’s a rap fan – not a thinker. Easy on him.
OH GOD ANOTHER POINTLESS JAY Z POST STRAIGHT TO THE NUMBER 1 SPOT SMH
10 /$20 for a Jay-z concert sounds like a bargain to me. Hopefully he gives us more than our moneys worth
If you think about it, a concert ticket costs $60.00 or more. TIDAL cost $10. If you win, you’re basically SAVING $50!
Truuuuu
ACCURATE
Ignorant Sh!t – bring out BEANS
Jockin Jay Z (yeah)
Regrets
DP III – fukkin iLL
I Can’t Get Wit That
Sunshine (to piss people off lol) – bring out Foxx Boogie
Can I Live II – bring out Bleek
Black Repubs/Success -bring out Nasty
Rippin It Up, Right? – bring out Sauce Money
Brooklyn Finest – bring out little Biggie lol
In My Lifetime
Just a few I could think of… This would be dope! – IF I subscribed to fuggin TIDAL lol. #herecomethestanaccusers
that8hiphop dot wordpress dot com
The Borough
Allure
There’s Been A Murder
Dope Man
A Week Ago
Do You Wanna Ride
This Life Forever
Rap Game/Crack Game
NYMP
Streets Is Talking (Beans)
1900 Hustler
It’s Like That
Fallen
Lyrical Exercise
All Around The World
Oceans
Crown
Thank You
Thumbs up for DP III… sadly I don’t know if lil Biggie knows the words to Brooklyn’s Finest lol
Stop dick riding, nobody gives a shit. It’s all about the $$, Jay Z is the 1%. Out of touch and clueless.
STOP HATING BAMA AND CONCENTRATE ON THE MUSIC YOU INSECURE LIL FK BOI!!! YOU SHOULDN’T BE ON THIS SITE IF YOU WOULDNT ROCK TO A JAYZ BSIDES CONCERT!!! FK YO FEELINGS!!!
Jay-z is clueless? What you mean?
Time stops when I hear “It’s Like That”
Shits gonna be dope….
lol @ the headline of the article. This concert is to trick you into getting tidal. It aint for us. If it was, this concert would be for free.
Yep, I agree. ‘Cause Late is one of my absolute favorites. Ah ha ha ha ha……I’ll be late for that….. Sometimes those obscure albums cuts or mixtape songs be jammin’.
THIS IS HOV
Hov could do the whole SDOT CARTER MIXTAPE AND WIN
SMH AND IT’S STILL IN THE TOP 5 POSTS LOL BRIAN AND ELLIOTT HAVE NO SHAME
TIDAL MUST REALLY BE FLOPPING LOL GREAT HA
Found out today I won tickets to this and im pumped as hell. Makin the trip from Philly to NY on Saturday.
Guys please help me go to this concert!!!! I won the tickets to the private Tidal concert this weekend!!!! gofund.me/uhb3nxd5 I
Did it all work out for you?
Yessir. I was front row. Concert of a lifetime!
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