Common delivers stellar performance to Denver’s Levitt Pavillion w/ Special Guest E.M.E.
This year marked the 4th annual Block Party, a music festival hosted by Denver Hip Hop Station The Drop 303 (104.3). This year’s event featured legendary MC, Common, hailing from Chicago, as well as rising afrobeats star E.M.E. who is currently residing in Denver by way of Nigeria. With two distincly different sounds, the uniting factor was positive vibes and undeniable stage energy from both artists, which made for an unforgettable Saturday at Levitt Pavillion, one of Denver’s premier outdoor music venues.
E.M.E set things off in proper fashion, with a concise but powerful set that included all of his recent music. The young artist did his job well, starting with a relatively sleepy crowd that he fully brought to life by the time he performed his final number, “Drago,” which has taken his career to new heights since it’s release only a few months ago.
After another performance, and some radio station activities and giveaways etc. it was time for the legend himself, Common, to take the stage just in time for sunset. The Chicago MC put on a full display of hip hop greatness as he opened his set with the classic Kanye West assisted “The Corner.” Quckly shifting into a slowed down, reimagined version of Finding Forever’s “The People,” Com Sense showed off his crystal clear delivery that few rappers can achieve in Denver’s thin air.
Complete with a Colorado themed freestyle, the set also included hits like “GO,” “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” and of course a mashup edition our partial namesake “Get Em High” among some other collab records from his career. He closed out the night with the fan favorite, “The Light,” and left the crowd in a state of pure nostalgic hip hop bliss. Fame, movies, and other bullshit aside, Common’s performance was a stark reminder that he’s still one of the greatest MC’s on the planet. Check out the photos by Armando Geneyro below.
