Bringing out the most excitement Dewick has seen since the last chicken parm night, De La Soul, a Long Island-based rap trio, delivered an entertaining set which highlighted the group's extensive 11-year career. The crowd of around 350 students ranged widely, from those in the back corner who were there because their friends dragged them, to the guys in the front who knew every single word to every single song played.
Regardless of the crowd's knowledge, De La Soul focused its show on audience participation, constantly trying to determine 'where the party was at' by getting each of the two sides of Dewick to try to scream louder than the other. The group also did its homework on Tufts, throwing out references to Espressos and the uphill/downhill rivalry.
The one-hour set began fittingly where De La Soul's career began, with Buddy, an early single off their 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Rising. Filling in for the Jungle Brothers and Q-Tip - who were featured on the studio track - were Dave (formerly Trugoy) and Posdnuos, rapping energetically, while Mase controlled the turntables.
After a few more tracks from their debut album, De La jumped into their more current work, with "Thru Ya City," the likely next hit single off of their latest release, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump. The album, the first in a three-part trilogy, can be seen as the reemergence of one of the most influential Old School rap acts, after a steady decline in popularity throughout the '90s. The album - flooded with hits and guest appearances by Redman, Busta Rhymes, The Beastie Boys, and Chaka Khan - is also a distinct departure from their unique, intelligent, and almost psychedelic style which set them apart from the emerging gangsta rap acts of the early '90s.
While not as witty and satiric as some of their earlier work may have been, current hits like "Oooh" were clear fan-favorites, as accompanying video effects and flawless vocals set the crowd into a state of frenzy. In a popular song off their debut album, Me, Myself, and I, Posdnuos handed off the mic to members of the audience to sing the catchy chorus.
De La Soul also performed numerous songs off two lesser-known albums, De La Soul is Dead and Stakes is High, including "Ring, Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)," "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays," "Itzsoweezee," and the show's closer, "Sunshine."
Throughout the show, De La Soul maintained its intensity, and unlike most hardcore rap acts out there, all three men sported smiles for the entire show. The portly Mase - who took occasional breaks from behind the turntables to rap - seemed to be having the most fun, slapping hands with the audience and laughing throughout the show.
Although the crowd seemed as energized as possible for not knowing all of the group's material that well, Posdnuos seemed a little irked by the lack of intensity from the crowd at times. This was especially apparent during the one segment where the group broke from their original material, and dipped into a little George Clinton P-Funk to get the crowd dancing. Upset at the lack of "booty-dancing" among the Jumbos in the audience, he cut off the music and gave more specific instructions on how he wanted everyone to shake their money-makers.
Overall, the show was extremely entertaining - De La Soul showed the Tufts community that after 11 years of performing, they could still throw a party. Unfortunately their laid-back style of intelligent satiric rap, which made their first album one of the most innovative of that genre, was lost in the live venue, where the bass often drowned out the message behind the lyrics. Minutes after the show, the energetic smiles of the performers turned into indifferent scowls, as the crowd anticipated an encore song that was never delivered, showing perhaps they were as good actors as they were musicians.
The opening act, Boston-based reggae group One People, actually did provide an encore performance, but the crowd was much less excited by their return to the stage. The five members of the group consisted of three bona-fide middle-aged reggae performers on keyboards, bass, and electric guitar, as well as a white, frat-boy like lead singer, and an Asian drummer. While the drummer held his own, keeping up the reggae beat, the lead singer seemed confused as to where he was from and why he was the lead singer in a reggae group.
The group offered adequate original material, and also covered some Bob Marley tunes like "Get Up Stand Up" and "No Woman No Cry." The lead singer's true roots emerged when he busted into his rendition of House of Pain's "Jump Around," where about four members of the audience proceeded to follow his instructions. He also broke into the chorus of Paul Simon's "Cecilia" during the middle of a reggae song, which came across as odd.
Opening for a well-known band is never easy, and One People did an admirable job of keeping the audience mildly entertained. A few lucky Jumbos received free copies of the band's most recent tape, which were hurled into the audience by the lead singer. When the band finished its set, there were no lighters waving in the air, nor any shouts of "one more song," but nevertheless, One People delayed De La Soul for a good ten minutes with an encore tune that rambled on for far too long - and cut into the music that was the true highlight of the night.
