Yeah, I took that picture...no big deal. But back when I took it, the man in the picture was in no place to be rocking such a damn fly
sceptre.
Let me break it down for you. I was in attendance at a Nas concert in July of 2008 at Toad's Place, a venue known traditionally for having a tough crowd. A packed in audience was growing anxious after having already waited more than two hours for the man they paid to see. When the boisterous opening act Jay Electronica walked in instead, it was pretty much the perfect storm for disaster. Booing ensued relentlessly from all angles of the room. Yet the seemingly overly-confident MC wasn't going to go down without a fight... literally and figuratively. As he worked his set over thrown drinks and loud disapproval, Jay Electronica called out several people in the crowd to "meet [him] after the show." I could've sworn that after such a dysfunctional act, Jay Electronica would never see the light of day again.
While he could've quit and let Nas take over, Jay went through a long and painful set in its entirety. Now, looking back, the persistence that Jay Electronica exhibited at Toad's Place represents the exact qualities that breed excellence in this game.
It isn't all that surprising then that nearly two years later, Jay Electronica is growing exponentially in popularity throughout the underground rap scene, showcasing lyrical talent and wordplay ability to boot. Check an excerpt from the well-crafted track titled Exhibit C to see what I mean:
They Call Me Jay Electronica
Fuck that, call me Jay Elec-Chanukah
Jay Elect-Yarmulke
Jay Elect-Ramadan Muhammad Asalaam-ica
Rasoul Allah Wa ta'ala through your monitor
Dope. It's good to see that what could've been a devastating blow to a young career was averted. Jay Electronica has a lot going for him, and I look forward to witnessing his growth in the years to come.
