Concert Review: Taylor Gang tears it up at Wiz Khalifa's "Under The Influence Of Music" Tour
/The name pretty much says it all: Wiz Khalifa's "Under The Influence Of Music" tour was a smoky haze of hip-hop.
The night began with Mack Wilds, delivering a soulful, beat heavy performance. Highlights included a shoutout to the New York block parties of his youth.
The night seamlessly moved from act to act, thanks to the night's energetic MC, DJ Drama. Drama kept playful with the audience throughout the night, keeping the mood and the audience entertained.
Next up, Ty Dolla $ign took center stage. Ty had as much fun as the audience, dancing, smoking & rapping in equal portions. Hints of reggae beat and yellowish green-centric lighting complimented the hazy, weed-filled atmosphere. Our favorite moments included a bass guitar solo and performances of "Paranoid" and the hit single "Or Nah".
After another DJ Drama stint came Sage the Gemini and his "Heart Break Gang". With Sage came yet heavier bass and some of the strangest dancing of the night. This leg of the night culminated with Iamsu!'s "Love my Squad".
The final act before the main event was Young Jeezy. The opening was a huge production, full of snippets and news clippings detailing his alleged murder in 2005. The crowd went wild over an earthshaking performance of his hit "Put On".
Finally came the main event, Wiz Khalifa himself. He began with a sensational opening, walking onto the stage in a cloud of his own smoke. Soon came Khalifa's hit "Work Hard, Play Hard", followed by a tone-setting monologue to the audience. He cooled down the audience and kept it poppin' with his lesser-known "Mezmorized". However, the biggest highlights were his A Cappella rap, the return of the entire Taylor Gang to the stage, and the absolute chaos that was the performance to his chart-topper "Black and Yellow".
With a steady ramp-up of energy from Wilds to Ty to Sage to Jeezy, Khalifa was a perfect way to wind down the night. If you know Taylor Gang well enough, you know exactly what you'll get from the "Under The Influence Of Music" tour: a crazy, hazy exposition of some of the best hip-hop music out there today.