If there is any way to make it to a Canberrans heart, it’s properly pronouncing Canberra. American gangster rapper Ice Cube took great pride in his pronunciation of Canberra, even if he wasn’t quite as accurate pronouncing Darwin, instead calling it Derwin. But when Ice Cube comes to Canberra he brings with him a legion of gangster rap enthusiasts.
The Ice Cube concert at AIS Arena was a marathon event, packed with hip-hop and gangster rap classics. The event lasted three and a half hours, with DJ Daz warming up the crowd spinning everything from Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and everybody’s festival favourite, ‘Everyday People’, by Sly and the Family Stone.
As I watched the arena fill up and looked out over the crowd as they danced to DJ Daz, I found myself wondering one thing: when did everyone learn to crip walk?
2012 Pass the Mic Competition winner Prophet Rayza was supported by DJ Discreet, delighting the crowd with tracks from his just-released EP and telling everybody that when he’s travelled all the way from Brisbane, the least you can do is love every minute of his set. And the crowd certainly did.
Fist-pumping enthusiast Kodak took the stage next, demonstrating that local boys from Weston Creek, studying a Bachelor of Finance at ANU really do make the best beatboxers around. It is during Kodak’s set that the anticipation for Ice Cube hits its peak. One mention of the rapper and the roof almost blows off the arena.
KP Crew from Canberra were the last to entertain the increasingly excitable and impatient crowd. As their set wraps, news of Ice Cube’s arrival sets gangster hearts racing. As we’re asked by a yet-to-be-seen Ice Cube, ‘Is Canberra in the house?’ this is what the crowd has been waiting two hours for. T-shirts are swinging in the air and everyone is screaming themselves hoarse. Ice Cube starts the show with his collaboration with Dr Dre, ‘Natural Born Killaz’ and WB works the crowd as he raps along. Songs ‘Hello’ and ‘Check Yo Self’ were crowd favourites, as was ‘Do Your Thang’, ‘Bop Gun (One Nation)’ and the most mainstream of his songs, “You Can Do It”.
Overall Ice Cube delivered an explosive performance, leaving patrons with their ears ringing, old-school beats swirling around their heads and excitement for the next time one of the best MCs of all time comes to town.
