That night we got to see each and every version of Kanye West. Once we got to familiar territory-the Metro Boomin slogan and the beat drop-the show kicked into high gear. I believe it was the first for many of us because we sang along thinking the beat was going to drop soon only to hear the choir continue. Barrett and it reminded me of how genius Kanye is when it comes to sampling.
That was also my first time hearing “Father I Stretch My Hands” by Pastor T.L. I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to see him in the flesh.
Seeing him standing there like a statue while the sample played was so majestic. 1” sample played and Kanye appeared on the platform and the entire arena went into hysterics. I was about to go to sleep until the lights went out. Waiting two hours with no DJ or opening act, just the sound of wolves and some ambient noise, was something to get over. One thing I wasn’t ready for, but should’ve known was that a Kanye West show is none like any other rap concert. I just know that if I didn’t know what to expect, I might be writing this from the hospital because I would’ve had an excitement-induced heart attack during the show. I freaked out when I saw the platform in the arena and I still jumped out of my seat when “Touch the Sky” came on. Bad move.ĭon’t get me wrong, I still had the time of my life. I saw pictures the platform he performed on and the numerous Vines of songs he did all over Twitter. I even saw and memorized the set list for one of his NYC shows. It spoiled the enjoyment a bit by taking the element of surprise away. I knew what to expect going into the concert and I wish I hadn’t.
It was nice to see the Yeezus tour t-shirts, “I Feel like Pablo” sweatshirts and the numerous fan made tees featuring the College Dropout bear. It almost made me feel bad I wasn't uniformed with my brethren, but when I remembered the price of Kanye-related apparel and the fact that I still buy his albums, the feeling went away. Seeing the hundreds and thousands of Kanye fans should’ve given me a sense of community and belonging, something similar to geeking out at Comic-Con, but honestly, I mostly was scouting for fake Yeezys. Throughout the night I was floating on Cloud 9, and nothing got me more elated than when he first came out on stage and said these four words: “Welcome to Saint Pablo.”Īs we drove to the South Regional Garage of the Amalie Center, I looked out of the window and saw the crowds of fans walking to the arena and waiting in line. Kanye himself told us to remember this moment for the rest of our lives, and I will gladly oblige. That night was something I will always relive in my mind and tell future Deion Junior and Deion Junior Jr. This person that you've idolized, learned every detail about, is suddenly occupying the same physical space as you and it's a lot to take in. If you're lucky, you might even get a chance to shake your hero’s hand and tell him or her something you've always wanted to say, but if that doesn’t happen, the memory of being in your hero’s presence is more than enough.įor me, that moment came this past Wednesday when my girlfriend and I were in attendance for Kanye West’s concert in Tampa. It’s a special time, one that will be remembered forever and ever. When somebody sees their hero in person for the first time, it's a pretty unforgettable experience.