When The Shit Goes Down In Ballantyne

Cypress Hill Bring The Dank Daze of Summer Tour to The Amp

Anytime a discussion of West Coast Hip-Hop occurs, there is one name that always pops up on the radar: Cypress Hill. Paving the way for Latin Americans in the hip-hop community, Cypress Hill has gone on to sell over 20 million albums worldwide, earned multi-platinum certifications, and was even honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This summer, the group is back on the road with The Dank Daze of Summer Tour, bringing their unique hip-hop vibe to cities across the country. Included in the tour was a stop right here in the Queen City, as Cypress Hill recently performed for a huge crowd at The Amp Ballantyne.

Opening the show was The Pharcyde, hailing from South Central L.A. The group is best known for their single “Passin’ Me By,” and let me tell you, they come out hard and ready to go. They were all over the stage during their short set and won over the crowd early on. If you’re heading out to see the show, you definitely need to get there early enough to catch The Pharcyde’s set.

Next up was the multi-talented Lupe Fiasco. Not only is Lupe a rapper, but he is also a singer, songwriter, producer, and educator. Last year, he released his ninth studio album Samurai and it was clear that he had a lot of fans in the audience as the rail was loaded with people sporting signs and shirts.

Lupe Fiasco always entertains, and today’s set was no exception as he pointed out some young kids in the pit and had them brought up to the barricade for a better view. He spent the rest of the time pointing at the crowd and getting everyone’s fists in the air. Soon, we were all dancing to “Kick, Push,” his iconic first single from his debut album, released back in 2006. So far, it was another fantastic performance, and more was still to come.

The hip-hop duo Atmosphere took the stage as the crowd hooted and hollered. I was unfamiliar with their music, but wow, did they blow me away! Rapper Slug was all over the place, interacting with the fans, making peace signs and weird faces, and basically just having a ton of fun. It was definitely contagious, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying their set.

It was hip-hop mixed with a great sense of humor and comedic relief, and the crowd ate it up. DJ/producer Ant kept things spinning as Slug led us through an extensive setlist of songs spanning their career. I mean, with songs like “Fuck You Lucy” and “Puppets,” we truly were having “The Best Day.”

After a short break, it was time for the main event. The tarp was taken off Eric Bobos’ drum kit, and the lights shone down on the Cypress Hill banner in the front of DJ Muggs’ setup. The stage lights kicked into a series of dark blues and deep reds as B-Real and Sen Dog kicked things off with “Shoot ‘Em Up.”

The Amp went entirely insane. Fists were pumping in the air, heads were bopping up and down, and the pit in the front of the stage was singing and dancing along. B-Real was in top form, telling stories in between songs and making us all feel like a part of the Cypress Hill family.

Sen Dog ventured down to the front of the stage, washed in red flood lights just in time to “Cock the Hammer.” What a vibe! Everyone was totally into the music, and of course, things got really cooking as the all too familiar sweet smells enveloped the venue just in time for “Hits From the Bong.”

Cypress Hill was on fire in Ballantyne tonight as we all went a little “Insane in the Brain.” It was a night we would not forget, but it wasn’t over yet. Not before giving us a little cover of “Bombtrack” from Rage Against the Machine and “(Rock) Superstar.” The night ended in total party mode as The Pharcyde made their way back out on the stage to join in for a cover of House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” Just picture the entirety of The Amp jumping up and down with Cypress Hill. Yes, the shit definitely went down in Ballantyne, and it was glorious!

There’s still time to catch a show if you haven’t, as Cypress Hill is out on the road through the end of September. This is one tour you won’t want to miss!

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you captured any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.