7:45 PM Shaheem Reid: It's a battle to get in the stadium. Lol! People are literally lined up all around the stadium. It's calm chaos as the crowd files into Comerica Park for the Jay-Z/ Eminem concert. Lot of Eminem tee-shirts, lot of Proof tee-shirts. You hear some of Em's greatest hits like "Not Afraid" playing as you enter the park. Right next door is Ford Field where the Lions are playing in a NFL Exhibition game. There may be literally 100,000 people in the streets of Detroit by midnight.
8:10 PM SR: B.O.B. just finished a brief opening set. He closed with his hit "Nothing On You."
8:13 PM SR: Everyone is clamoring to take pics with Sway as we find our seats. They love the homie.
8:42 PM SR: Jay in 7 mins. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" and "Hypnotized" blast out the house speakers.
8:44 PM SR: Jay starts with the Dynasty intro. "Deeeeeetroit what's up!!! Stop the beat. Ohh shit!" Crowd goes crazy. Hov says he needs two minutes to take it all in. "This is hip-hop music and this is how far we come to rocking stadiums."
8:47 PM SR: "Run this town" next. Crowd is crazy already!!!!!!
8:49 PM SR: Jay just did "Free Mason"!!! My verse of the year. He's going ham already. No Ross though.
8:57 PM SR: "This might need a verse from Jeezy!!!" Jeezy comes out for "Dey Know" remix. Hov tells him don't play with the people. "Soul Survivor" next. Show is retarded already.
9:07 PM SR: So Jeezy ended with "Lose My Mind." Memph Bleek is out now. Him and Hov tearing stadium apart with "You Don't Know." Detroit!!! Crowd is live. Ready to party. Showing love across the board.
9:11 PM Sway: Wow the crowd explodes when Jay does "99 Problems." Detroit has one of the most diverse hip-hop demograpics in the country. People from age 11 to 55 are dancing on the field. Its a party in Motown!
9:15 PM SR: This stage is freakin huge!!!!!!!!! Heard from a insider that there are 40 production trucks. A regular stadium show has 20 production trucks.
9:21 PM SR: Big Tribute to hip-hop's fallen soldiers. Ended with HOV telling fans to make most noise they ever did for Proof. Crowd yells "Prooooooooooooooof!" Wow! Jay then goes into "Hard Knock Life."
9:29 PM Sway: Bunch of folks jumping over barricades to get to the restricted field area from the bleachers while Jay performs "Heart of the City"! Shaheem just said that would never happen a Yankess Stadium!
9:40 PM Sway: I just talked with Jeff Kos from Detroit. While Jay performed a new rendition of "Jigga" he spoke how rare it is to see Eminem perform. He said right now Detroit needs the moral booster. What Tupac meant to the west coast is what Em means to Detroit. Wow!
9:47 PM SR: Jay's going in. "Guess Who's Back" he doesn't perform that too much. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder's" now.
9:50 PM Sway: I'm sitting next to Nicole from Redford 24. She says seeing all of these people from this area is exciting and gives her chills. It's the biggest thing to come around these parts in years.
9:54 PM Sway: Jay-Z has really upped the ante with the gigantic jumbotron screens behind him scrolling footage of New York while the entire stadium sing the chorus of "Empire State of Mind." Hip-Hop artists concerts from this point on will have to step their game up. This is like Rock The Bells sh**!
9:57 PM Sway: Jay-Z said "No bullsh**, this is an amazing night for him." He's now doing his signature roll call while he points out individuals from the crowd and gives them acknowledgements. He commented on how much money merchandising made tonight.
9:59 PM SR: Jays not done yet. Tells fans he appreciates them singing "New York." "I know where I'm at," he adds with a smile. "Encore" comes next.
10:02 PM Sway: Even in Detroit the Roc Diamonds are in the air. The entire stadium are chanting "Hova, Hova!" Great concert. I'm curious to the cost of production. full band, light show, jumbo tron screens, etc. This guy Derek from downtown D area said he already feels like he got his money's worth.
10:34 PM Sway: Eminem is about to take the stage. The crows is in a frenzy!
10:36 PM SR: Shady time!!!!! Lights out. Band playing. Em starts with "Won't Back Down." Crazy!!!
10:38 PM Sway: Alchemist on the turntable set. Big RECOVERY graphic planted across the screen! This crowd is practically doing karaoke to "Won't Back Down!"
10:43 PM Sway: Girls are singing "3 AM" like they're in a rap cypher.
10:46 PM SR: "White Trash Party," "Kill You."" He has them in a trance.
10:47 PM Sway: Classic time! "Kill You!" Reminds me of hearing on my radio show days free-styling over break beats. Wakeupshow classics!
10:50 PM Sway: Detroit "boss" Trick-Trick just came on out. Underground favorite, you can tell he has the locals on lock!
10:53 PM SR: "No Love." There are images of a hand squeezing a human heart on the screens behind Eminem. They lovvvvvve Slim Shady. Rappin word for word.
10:55 PM Sway: Eminem chants "Free Weezy" to "No Love" feat Wayne. Em looks like he's extremely focused and his energy levels are past 10.
10:56 PM Sway: There's not one person within my eyesight that is sitting down in Comerica Stadium from top to bottom. Every chorus is being sang loudly, especially "Cleaning Out My Closet."
10:57 PM SR: "Cleaning Out My Closet." Em yelling "fu-- you momma.". Stops the beat on the chorus, crowd yells "Sorry momma." Can't lie, me and mom are thick as thieves, but this is one of my top five Em songs. His flow and articulation are unmatched on that record... Ah man, he follows up with "The Way I Am." My fave Em song!
10:49 PM Sway: I got 4 guys next to me who are practically possessed by Em singing "I am" like they wrote it and/or it was written about them. Lol. It's kind of funny but laughing might get me punched. Eminem says "I'm back Detroit...it feels good to be back...do you miss me?" Crowd cheers him on.
11:04 PM Sway: D-12 just came out to "Fight Music." This guy Sean from Detroit says its like a classic reunion except for the whole city!
11:06 PM SR: Been to two million rap concerts, Eminem is the only show where guys take off their shirt like they are about to wrestle. They are getting rock and roll rowdy!!
11:08 PM Sway: Cara from Redford said it's very bittersweet to see D-12 perform "My Band" and other songs without Proof. RIP. I will admit it's hard not to notice his absence. Every time I came to Detroit he looked out for me. That kind of dude. Eminem just asked the entire stadium to sing along with Proof's voice on his his verse. EVERYONE knows the lyrics. People are singing in Shaheem's ears as I blog!
11:16 PM Sway: B.O.B. just hit the stage for "Airplanes" remix minus Hayley, but it's like a prelude to the VMA's seeing both on stage. Bridging of the generations of hip-hop. Eminem has soared to new heights tonight. Very energetic.
11:20 PM Sway: OMG! "Toy Soldiers!" The crowd is chanting RIP Proof with video playing in the background. The video was almost like prophetic the way it played out Proof's death. Em is understandably emotional. I like how this song captured all the beef and turmoil he was experiencing at this time in his life.
11:21 PM SR: Damn. It's crazy watching this "Toy Soldiers" video as Eminem performs it. Especially with everything that happened to Proof. RiP to that brother.
11:22 PM Sway: "Forever" is on and the crowd is going crazy anticipating Drake! Crowd just about vomited he just hit the stage!!! This is crazy! DRAKE! This girl just knocked my blackberry out of my hand in excitement!
11:23 PM Sway: Eminem is seriously making a case for the top slot in this year's Hottest MC's round table! This Forever verse sounds ridiculous! Em shouts out Drake, "this is history in the making," says Drake "make some noise for the legend Eminem!"
11:23 PM SR: Drake comes out for "Forever." says "I'm so honored to be here to tonight. This is history in the making. I want y'all to make some noise for the muthaf***** legend that is, Emimem."
11:25 PM Sway: 50 Cent just walked out. IT'S A BLACKOUT! THIS IS 50, the golden era is back!!! I'm so rejuvenated! Real rappers damn! This is what makes this show great!! Damn!!
11:28 PM Sway: Em hands the stage to 50! "I Get Money!" 50 has on a jacket that has glow in the dark lights, so when the stage is dark he's glowing. Crazy!!
11:32 PM Sway: G-UNIT swarming the stage! YAYO one of my favorite rap entertainers. Banks! "In the Club" has the stadium looking like a New Years Eve Party!
11:35 PM SR: Em's back now for "Till I Collapse" and "Cinderella Man". Shady has mastered stadium music.
11:37 PM Sway: I'm starting to sweat! Em's doing "Cinderella Man." If you were here you would feel like you would were transfixed. Meanwhile, there are 2 middle aged couples against the barricades grinding simulating sexual exploits. I'm telling you, Em has Detroit on fire tonight!
11:42 PM Sway: "Love the Way You Lie." People are now respectfully adjusting to the content of the song. I will admit it's a minor set back that Rihanna hasn't graced the stage.
11:47 PM Sway: Arguably the hardest rap collabo in raps history! "Renegade!" The crowd is in awe watching these 2 icons rap next to each other! That duet challenges this?? So much power, success, tradition, influence, on one stage. If your true to this culture you get it. If not, it's not meant for you! Lol.
11:48 PM SR: Em says he wants to have fun now. Takes it back to "My Name Is." Em is very Engaged.
11:50 PM SR: Surreal moment of the year. Dr. Dre is onstage performing right now with Eminem. Dre did "Still D.R.E" and now they are doing "G-Thang." Em is rapping Snoop's part!
11:51 PM Sway: Oh sh**! Dre is doing "Still Dre!" OMG! Being originally from the WEST I'm in heaven!! Dre looks like he sleeps in the gym! People are staring in disbelief and so am I!
11:52 PM Sway: "Next Episode!" Damn! Em got the whole crowd chanting DETOX!!!
11:53 PM Sway: Dre simply said "I'm coming!" Lol. We've heard that before but I still can't wait. I'm sure it'll be worth the wait.
11:54 PM SR: "Got dammit Detroit. Do I love you or what?" Eminem says. "Look what I brought out for you." Em then tells he wants Dre to feel all the love. Detox chants follow. "Deeee-tox. Deeee-tox," crowd yells. Dre just says "I'm Comin!" They go into "Crack a Bottle."
12:04 PM SR: Slim Shady took it back with "Real Slim Shady" and "Without Me." Tells the audience he loves them and next song is for them. "Not Afraid" comes on. Most of the stadium is still here. They are rocking with him!
12:05 PM Sway: Em is thanking the crowd for their support throughout his career. He's speaking over the intro of "I'm Not Afraid." He just dedicated this song to Detroit. The crowd is visibly happy to have their native son back. Em is intensely projecting on every word of the song. Like his career its like the show is doing a 360. This seems to be the launching pad to a new beginning. This young lady Cara pointed out how people are standing and singing this new anthem from top to bottom. It's stadium music for sure. People don't want to leave! It's like they want to hang on to this moment for nostalgic reasons but also they seem re-inspired as Eminem thanks them for all the love. Lights out. Show's over.
12:09 PM Sway: The crowd is chanting encore. I must say not many tours since "Up In Smoke Tour", "Rock The Bells," "Anger Management," "Bad Boy" have I been this entertained. Wait...Em is coming back and doing "Lose Yourself." I JUST GOT CHILLS!
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