If you still haven’t figured it out, one of my loves is music. My favorite is Hip – Hop but good Hip-Hop mostly 90s and early 2000’s. Hip-Hop was never been a genre that wanted to appeal to the masses. It does now but before it was about expression and it later became a fashion in pop culture labeled as “street style” or “urban”. I am not here to give you a history lesson about Hip-Hop right now maybe later. Until I do you can binge watch the first season of “The Get Down” on Netflix. The 80’s was the raw uncut unfiltered Hip-Hop. The 90’s was a little more polished then took it to a whole different level; it was just about music and basement parties. They were looking at the business side more. In the 80s they had a few sneaker endorsements here and there, but the 90’s they were looking at branding more.

Most of our favorite artist came out of the 90’s and are still around performing today. Some had their lives and careers cut short due to tragic deaths but their music was so strong they will really never die. There was also a record label that had the whole marketing, branding and good music almost down to a science just like a Hip-Hop version of Motown, that label was Bad Boy Entertainment. Sean “Puffy” Combs had a vision to build an empire and we are all grateful for the music that came from it, especially during its epic time in the 90’s. This label brought us the classic “Flavor in Your Ear” by Craig Mack, “Juicy” by Notrious B.I.G, “Tell Me” by Total featuring Mase and “Love Like This” by Faith Evans, and countless others.

Over the past weekend I was able to attend the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour and it was everything I thought it would be. This concert will go in my book of epic concerts and I have been to some great shows. As a self-proclaimed music connoisseur it is an honor if I decide to spend my sneaker money on a ticket to hear your music live and let’s just say I spent a pair of Primeknit ZX-Flux and some Retro Jordan 4s on my ticket. That’s not cheap but I had great seats and was expecting to see a show of epic proportions due to the hype I was reading and hearing from people who went in other cities. They did not disappoint and I am glad I bought a ticket to the show made me go home and dig up some of the classics and go back in time.

In order for me to want to experience your music live there are a few things that need to happen. I must have purchased their music. The cost of the ticket depends on how much music they have. If they only have one album chances are I’m not going to their concert. The only exception to this rule was Drake. I went to his concert when he had his first official album because I heard that Lil Wayne would be getting out of jail and show up. I want to say I there when Lil Wayne got out of jail. This also goes for the venue I will not pay over $65 for standing room only venues; it’s just not worth it. The artist must have lyrics that I clearly understand unless it’s Mystikal he’s different. For the others there is no reason for me to spend money on your ticket if I can only recite that one line in the chorus.

With that being said the money I spent for the Bad Boy Reunion concert was well worth it. This was a night that I will never forget and not because I literally posted about fifty picture and ten videos to my social media. It really was a good experience, I haven’t been to a concert that good in a long time. From what I have been hearing every city had their own line up with Vegas and LA being the best. There were a lot of highlights so I will just tell you from beginning to end if you don’t mind. I mean you already read this far a little further won’t hurt.

-Puff came out from the middle of the stage in all white, opening the concert with “Victory”. The beginning was everything a cool video clip with him using the classic line clinking glass bottles together “Bad Boys come out and play”. We even had a small guest appearance by Biggie Smalls. He did some classic Puffy hits. Even did my favorite featuring Nas “Hate me Now”, unfortunately Nas was not there to do his part but he was able to show up in LA. I’m not upset about it at all.

-Mase came to join Puff for the duo’s classics and yes I will be saying “Puff” or “Puffy” throughout this whole article because that night Diddy was nowhere to be seen it was all classic Puff Daddy. Now back to Mase, if you are true Hip-Hop heads you could appreciate the evolution of Mase. He went from Murder Mase, to shinny coat Mase, to preacher man Mase, and he showed up that night as fly Mase.

-There was fire. Everyone knows that all the big productions have fire. Fire at a show is like a status symbol only the ballers get fire. I am also pleased to report that I did not witness anyone hurt by the fire as well. That means the rehearsed this.

-Now it’s time to get things started with 112. They looked about the same, slim is not very slim anymore but the vocals were still there and that’s all that matters. They did the hits “Peaches and Cream”, and Dance with Me”. They had us all singing along and they still had the steps.

-Puff changed clothes.

-Up next was Total. All three of these ladies looked amazing and I was thinking that when they heard about the reunion they were in the gym or the fountain of youth. Especially Pam, she had a 30IB. dumbbell in her hands when she found out. Pam had the Angela Bassett arms from “What’s Love Got to do with it.” She was on point with her moves and was Diddy boppin all over the place. It was fun watching them perform.

-Puff changed clothes again.

-Now it was time to turn up a little with D –Block. The Lox came on and made us all “Wild Out” and it was so dope. I am a Jadakiss fan and feels that he is one of the most under rated lyricist out there so it was good seeing him on stage with Styles P and Sheek Louch. They were so East Coast in the all black and fitted caps.

-By this time in the concert it was time to grab a partner and pretend that you know how to step. Carl Thomas came on and did all of his hits from back in the day. Had all singing off key like “I wish I never met her at all”. Of course he did a song from my “Shower” playlist “Summer Rain” and yes I have a playlist for the shower, its forty five minutes long. This is not the article where you guys judge me.

-Might as well keep the grown and sexy going with Faith Evans. She looked amazing and no she did not flash the crowd. She had a bad one piece and I hate anything one piece but it looked good on here. Her vocals were off the scale, you can tell that woman been to church before. I was very impressed and definitely can see her performing for as long as she wants.

-Puff changed clothes again.

-Now we are well rested and it was time for us to turn up some more with French Montana. He had everyone but me twerking because I can’t twerk. He reminded us that we ain’t worried about nothing. I was pleading with him to do a part of “All the Way Up” but he didn’t hear me instead he did the remix to “Same Damn Time” with Puff and that was cool.

-Next we have the original Queen B. Lil Kim. Well she looked significantly different but when she opened her mouth it was clear the Queen B was back. She was classic Kim, and now that I am older I do understand why her album “Hardcore” was off limits. Yes mom was lenient on what I listen to but she put her foot down on Kim. The only Kim I heard was on BET when they had Jam Zone and Ms. Cita. I was old enough by the time I could put my lighters up though, she had the whole place lit… literally. Her bestie Floyd Mayweather joined her on stage and threw money. Sections A and B probably got their ticket money back.

-Puff Changed clothes.

-Mase and Puff came back out and we all relived the shiny suit and puffy jacket days for a while. They were in all gold everything. It almost looked as if it was the finale.

- Puff basically came out said his thank you speech then went into full blown infomercial mode like “but wait there’s more!” This guy came on stage in a Charlotte jersey and explained to us that it was getting way too hot in here. That’s right Nelly was there and he had every girl except me telling their best friend “I think my butt getting big!” I’m thick and all however my butt has been the same size for some time now.

-Nelly was a good surprise however Puff had more up his sleeve. He introduced this group as his childhood heroes and I could not figure out who he was talking about and I definitely didn’t think it was Bel Biv Devoe. They reminded us to never trust a big butt and a smile. Everyone was doing all their favorite 90s moves including the real “running man”, you know the one where you actually run in place. Just watch the intro to “Do the Right Thing” Rosie Perez does all the dances for the first fifteen minutes of the movie.

-Puff changed clothes again.

-After a blast from the past like Bel Biv Devoe wasn’t enough this next surprise had us all like “whoa”. Yes, Black Rob was in the building and he was live.

-Black Rob at this point is my favorite surprise. I use to love that dude, but then it got quiet. I thought I heard a dog growl but I wasn’t too sure yet. Then DMX came on stage and I lost my entire mind up in there. I felt like I was back in school and my uncle was picking me up blasting “Stop drop shut em down open up shop!”

-Puff changed clothes one last time. That guy had a whole wardrobe back stage.

-Honestly nothing could have topped DMX at this point and I would have gone home a happy camper but that was not all. Somehow they had Shyne on the big screen from Belize and he performed “Bad Boys”. The only thing that could have happened from here is Barrington Levy jumping on stage screaming stuff we didn’t understand.

-While the screen was fired up why not throw the Notorious B.I.G up there. This was a very sentimental part of the concert and I loved how they incorporated him in the show. He did not have to be physically there for us to go crazy once where heard his voice. Just to show that almost 20 years later with only two albums we’ll always love Big Poppa. You can’t help but wonder how it would be if he was still here, only the sky would be the limit.

Now it was time to wrap it up, the entire Bad Boy Family was on stage and they did their thing. They finished up with all of our favorite songs they missed earlier. They actually heard my request and French did a portion of “All the Way Up” for me. This was by far one of the best concert experiences I have had in the past few years. Puff and the rest of the family still got it. If you talk to anyone in any city that went to this concert I’m sure you would hear good reviews. For those who did not go, you missed a very good show. That man Puff is a man of his word, he told us that he wouldn’t stop and I’m glad he didn’t. Bad Boy kept us all dancing.

Thanks Puff