In the heart of Fairmount Park, surrounded by the sounds of a cultural counterattack, Jay-Z reclaimed his throne.
Philadelphia. Fairmount Park. A test of human nature.
We knew what it was before he even took the stage. Jay-Z, in front of The Roots in downtown Philadelphia. Jay-Z’s ties to the area are very strong, which made for a wild, crazy night.
As anticipation continued to build, he stepped out with an afro that was reminiscent of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Rumors are dead. Trademark location – gone. replaced by something else. Some would say it’s just hair. I say it represents freedom. No one has confirmed this yet, but the body language and stripping down to look like a workman speak volumes. It’s time to restore some order.
Jay-Z opened the show with a series of hits that took the audience back to a time when he was dominant in the culture. The fans lost their minds and kept screaming Hova like a bunch of people acknowledging their god. He brought it. Every bit.
For me, the night has a different weight. I was there to take photos and cover the event. Only a few people were allowed to film that close to Jay. Everything is tough. Photographers compete for position, time is limited, and security personnel quadruple-check every document. There is a special pass available just for Jay-Z’s Roots Music Festival portion. It was almost impossible to film and listen at the same time, so I learned the details later: he filmed all the operations. Some are neat and tidy, like the ones directed at Mrs. Dash. Others targeting Tory Lanez and Nicki Minaj need to be decoded. Regardless, he looks comfortable. Go back to your own area without being disturbed.
Walking through the crowd later, I could feel the cultural pushback, loud and clear. Even with corporate sponsorship, fight back.
Here are some JAŸ-Z images taken by Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur.
