Method Man and Redman
The Observatory
2/3/2017
The show started at 8 p.m., but you wouldn’t know by the short lines and the random people standing around outside the venue that a popular east coast duo was scheduled to take the stage in a few short hours. On Thurs. Feb. 2, Redman and Method Man had a nearly sold out show at The Observatory in Santa Ana. Not knowing the exact time, the standing room got smaller and the anticipation grew stronger as people filed in more and more after each opener finished their set.
There were at least five or six acts on stage before the main performance, they seemed to do what they were meant to-get the crowed hyped and full of energy-but some of them stood out from the rest. With the recent law that passed allowing marijuana for recreational use, it’s no surprise the entire venue was surrounded with a giant cloud of smoke. One opening act brought with them what must have been at least two or three pounds of weed. Only instead of smoking it on stage, the rappers threw handfuls of weed into the crowd. Throughout their set fans in the front held out their free Weedmaps hats and let the artists fill them up. It’s hard to imagine the quality was all that great, but it’s the thought that counts.
The next performer came out sporting a Raiders jacket, dark glass, a bucket hat and dreads. He was so into his act, he jumped down from the stage and over the railing into the crowd to finish his song. It was irrelevant if those fans were there to see him, it was obvious they were glad to have him so close and their positive reactions only made him go harder.
Before Red and Meth, a Chicano group rapped their asses off. It looked like all the Latinos in the building knew their song lyrics. As soon as they came on stage, the audience had their feet moving, heads bobbing, and their hands in the air. With a stage performance like that they got the crowd’s energy level up, which is one thing the main act thrives off of.
When they finally came out on stage, the room was figuratively out of control. The fan base of the cousin duo from the east coast in Orange County consisted of people all ages, all races and all walks of life. That’s probably why no one took a double take when Method Man personally thanked the Deadpool and Spider-Man in the pit for coming out to their show. Or when the skin-head looking dude with tattoos all over his face and shaved head rapped all the lyrics along with them. They’re just so easy to love.
Redman and Method Man’s stage presence is not like any other, they’re not just rappers, they consider themselves emcees. Unlike the majority of rappers heard on the radio these days, they control the crowd. With every song moving the fans, like How High Part 2, Da Rockwilder, and Y.O.U. Red and Meth got hyped just as much as the crowd, dancing all across stage and throwing water in the audience every time the beat dropped. The speed at which they can flow is like… what?
For some people all the weed would make a person mellower and relaxed,—not them. They were encouraging everyone to burn one, passing blunts back and forth with the fans in the front. It was funny to watch Meth’s face when he got one that was obviously not good enough. He recovered quickly though and when he told the people he wanted the biggest mosh pit, they didn’t hesitate… control the crowd. In fact, Method Man was feelin’ it so hard, he jumped back first into the crowd and thankfully they didn’t drop him. With so many hands just wanting to touch him, they bounced him up and down and then kind of gracefully threw him back on the stage, it was legit.
Redman and Method Man dedicated the show to their fallen friend, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and throughout their performance shouted out 2 Pac, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez, Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, Prince, Easy E and other talented artists who died too soon. Method Man told everyone if they were loud and crazy enough, the next time he comes back, he’s gonna bring the whole Wu-Tang Clan. Without a doubt that left the crowd with only one thing to do, “tear the roof off.”
