This is a FREE annual event in Chicago. Below is a review of the July, 2018 event. Look for this same event next year.
“Every time I come back here I feel the vibrance of the city…”
That was Madame Gandhi. She clutched a gold microphone that matched her cropped yellow hair. She wore a red Adidas mini dress with a little red jacket to match.
Madame Gandhi was the rapper opening for rap duo Black Star at the Taste of Chicago… Madame Gandhi used to be the drummer for the rapper M.I.A and now has her own career; focusing on writing music that “elevates and celebrates the female voice.”
She incorporated her skills as a drummer seamlessly with a strong stage presence. She rapped with her two female band members, one a rapper/singer and the other more of a DJ, and then plopped down behind a drum kit and started drumming.
This was the warmup for the crowd – energetic and meaningful. She talked about the importance of feminism, specifically all inclusive, intersectional feminism. She ended her performance with her song The Future is Female, a rap that asserts humanity needs to be linked rather than ranked.
“Last time I was here Weezer was playing and that was really packed. My favorite rappers besides Black Star are probably Wu Tang, Common, Biggie, Nas and Snoop Dog,” Paul Odrobina, an audience member, said.
The crowd’s anticipation for Black Star, members Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) and Talib Kweli, was noticeable. The 90 degree heat and the beating sun didn’t scare anyone off as we waited for Black Star to come on stage. People rose to their feet, one man held a cigar, ready to light it when the rappers got to the stage. A child’s photo over a purplish blue outer space graphic was projected above the stage.
“In 1998 they dropped one of the best albums of all time. I’ve never seen Black Star live before but I did see Mos Def live a few years back,” Tony, an audience member said.
Black Star’s DJ wore an XXL grey t-shirt with the singular word “Cookie” on it in loopy cursive. The Petrillo Stage lawn was packed. Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli emerged on stage. Mos Def was wearing a tan bucket hat and a long leather jacket, with a purple bandana, tucked into his front pocket. The crowd went manic. It was clear that these fans had been following the rappers since the 90’s and to see them live was an extremely special event.
The man with a cigar lit it and smiled at the sky. The performance had started!
Their opener was Auditorium, a song by Yasiin Bey from the album The Ecstatic, released in 2009. They followed with some songs from their joint album, Black Star --Astronomy (8th Light), and Definition.
Pink petunias lined the stage. Yasiin Bey used a bright red vintage style microphone that he held in his hand as he rapped the lyrics to Umi Says, from the album Black on Both Sides — the closing song to Black Star’s set at the Taste of Chicago.
“Sometimes I don't want to be bothered. Sometimes I just want a quiet life, with Me and my babies, me and my lady. Sometimes I don't want to get into no war (Black people to be free, to be free). Sometimes I don't wanna be a soldier. Sometimes I just wanna be a man, but Umi said shine your light on the world. Shine your light for the world to see.”
Umi Says, Yasiin Bey
Taste of Chicago and the music performances during the festival have concluded for this year. But other outdoor summer music festivals sponsored by DCASE continue through the summer and into the fall. For more information about upcoming music festivals, visit the DCASE website.
Photos courtesy of DCASE
