Iggy Azalea
The Observatory
5/14 2014
Iggy Azalea, the Assie Aussie, was the reason for the Observatory's giant mid-week turn out last night. After the 23 year-old Miami transplant's OC debut, any doubts about the femcee's ability to be future rap royalty were put to rest. In sleeveless tees and booty shorts, she had the the crowd ready to rock with her right from the start.
Standing against a backdrop imitating an '80s Miami Beach boardwalk, Azalea began the show by stepping out from a door under a glowing aquamarine sign that read “Hotel Iggy.” On the 1s and 2s stood Dj Whizz Kid behind a white glass contraption lined in metallic that could looked like an old school American Music Awards podium. The headliner wore a Flamingo pink tennis getup with an airbrushed portrait of Scarface on her top and tiled onto her skirt.
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Beside her stood four assorted dancers in powder blue velour one-pieces reminiscent of Roller Girl from Boogie Nights' –sans the skates. After the first song, Steve Aoki's “Breakdown,” they ran back stage, returning with shopping bags for the girl power track “Fuck Love,” during which she would just begin tantalizing the crowd by turning her back to them, exhibiting curves that stretched her booty shorts to the limit.
Exhibiting the affinity for the raunchy, trappy sound that teamed her with T.I., the next part of show teemed with electricity that refracted around the venue causing obliterated girls to stagger and swerve in the only place offering elbow room, the bar. Mafioso type hand gestures and boss stomps synced with the bass hits of her Southern bangers characterized Iggy, who spent the lion share of the night wearing an expression that was only softened by her Twizzler red lipstick, swinging blond hair, and round eyes.
Solidifying the night as an all out retro revival, a break in the action found a scene from the movie Boomerang. Eddy Murphy popped on the screen (formerly a Hotel Iggy window), having dinner with Strangè (played by Grace Jones) who is more than straight forward about offering him her goodies. When the lights went up, Iggy was back on stage with a see-through baseball jersey over a bikini and a new pair of equally sexy high-waisted shorts on exhibiting her glorious curves. It was time for “Pu$$y”!
The verve she returned with was so mesmerizing, the stripper poles her dancers reappeared with went unnoticed for a few minutes, because as fine as her dancers were, she easily out-assed them all. While she attacked the verses on up-tempo hits like this, she gracefully belted the hooks of her more melodic songs with the help of two backup singers in white cocktail dresses. The crowd was even more receptive to “Don't Need Y'all,” a track dedicated to exes. The fact that Azalea was able to maintain control of the crowd with a slower song proved that those in attendance were not just there for ASStounding, ratchet theatrics, but felt a real connection to her words.
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For the last third of her hour-long set, Iggy reverted back to her vixenish nature which was so enamoring her thick-legged mocha backup singers stepped from behind mic stands to twerk a lil'! As the promixity between Iggy and the stripper pole lessened in the midst of “Fancy” and “Murda Biz,” shrieks rang from AZaliens hoping she'd straddle the pole. She never hopped on, but was soon forgiven as the synergy of boosted libido, a prime performance, and top-ranking backside once again domineered the room.
After being dazzled by back breaking performance and a backdrop, laced with neon palm trees and pink glitter graphics, Azalea proved that this show is worthy of bigger audiences. As the show drew to a close, phones in the pit could be observed following Iggy across the stage, resembling the wave at Angels Stadium. I-G-G-Y did it have to end so soon, though?!
Overheard: “I love her hair!” one girl exclaims as she raises back up from a teasing ass sway toward the crowd, her straight golden locks following close behind.
Critic's Bias: My name is Nick! I'm young! Why couldn't Iggy come home with me?!
The Crowd: Bonafied party animals dedicated to supporting this bombshell even if means skipping out on a Thirsty Thursday to recover from the function the night before.
Random Notebook Dump: While the set lasted no more than 70 minutes, the crowd didn't bother to beg for an encore likely due to the fact they'd got their money's worth in the rigorous performance.
Set List:
Breakdown
Fuck Love
Bounce
My World
Rolex
Don't Need Y'all
Change Your Life
Pu$$y
Murda Biz
Drop That
Fancy
Lady Patra
Flexin' & Finessin'
Quicktime
Blackwidow
See also:
Top Five Female Rappers in OC
Top 10 Rappers in OC
Top 10 Hip-Hop Groups in OC
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I listen to music. I write about it. I like hot sauce on my chicken.