We (being my group) came to the Stadium about two hours early, thinking that there would be a packed out queue. Well, there wasn't. In fact there weren't any souls in sight. So, rather than sticking around for two hours, we decided we'd search for a place to grab a drink. As time drew on we walked back to the General Motors Place. After a lengthy walk back, we were greeted by a large sign situated on top of the arena saying that the originally expected time of 6:30pm for the doors to open wasn't happening and that the doors to the arena wouldn't be open until 8:00pm. So, I sat down and waited. At around 7:30pm the General Motors Place staff began organizing the queueing arangements to get inside. So, we joined the line. When I was frisked, a guy thought that my chewing gum was something else. Hmmmmm. Anyway, once inside the stadium, I picked up a drink and went into the actual arena.

Originally I had thought that I was in really shitty seats and that I wouldn't be able to see anything clearly. But, I managed to see everything very, very well.

Unfortunately we had to wait for an hour and forty five minutes until anyone came on stage. But they were playing a whole load of rn'b to pass the time - oddly enough they played most of the 'Alternatives' we've had on Tha Real.

At around 9:15pm Method Man and Redman came on stage. They began with 'Big Dogs' followed by Meth doing 'M.E.T.H.O.D. Man' and then Redman going at it with 'Time 4 Sum Aksion'. After interacting a bit more with the crowd Meth performed 'Bring The Pain' followed by Redmans 'Let Da Monkey Out.' Those in the crowd who hadn't read reviews etc. of the actual tour didn't expect Street Life to come out and join in, well, he did, just before 'Dangerous Ground.' Redman took over the crowd once again when he performed 'Pick It Up.' Then Street Life and Meth colaborated again with 'Grid Iron Rap.' Redman managed to get the crowd really hyped. He began with telling us to say "Fuck You Redman !" But played around saying we weren't loud enough. So, he said "Where are we, are we in 'x'" and each time, he'd replace what I put as 'x' with another city in the US or Canada and each time he did, the crowd errupted with "FUCK YOU REDMAN !" - it was a lot of fun, haha. Redman performed 'I'll Be Dat.' After talking with the crowd some more, they began hyping up the following track, 'Break Ups To Make Ups,' saying that it had been performed every night of the tour. So, after they were done hyping it up, Meth performed 'Break Ups To Make Ups.' Other tracks performed included 'Full Cooperation' and 'Da Goodness.' They then encouraged all the people with lighters to hold them up in the air. All the lights were shut off and the effect of all the lighters burning was great. When the lights came on Meth and Redman performed 'How High.' They announced (as they have throughout their tour) that they will be dropping an LP at the end of '99 then left. They were brilliant, they almost got me hoarse even before they really kicked in. There was tonnes of crowd participation including singing the hooks etc. The thing I found funny was the fact that my brother and I were the only ones in our little section that knew the tracks from their latest LP's. All in all they performed for about an hour and ended with Street Life doing a so-called freestyling about being underrated over the beats for GZA's 'Publicity.' I'm just wondering how Street Life can possibly be rated really highly when he hasn't dropped any solo material....

Anyway, after Method Man and Redman left, DJ Clue came to the stage. He put on some tracks and yelled out things like "All the pretty ladies with the real hair scream !" And "Where my weed smoking niggas at ?" Initially he got quite a good response, but he repeated those chants so many times that it became kind of irritating. Plus, Clue played the tracks at the wrong speed. I don't know whether it was due to his set of tables, the vinyl, or just him not knowing what to do, but, they weren't playing properly. Clue played through a load of Biggie cuts, which was dope, but I wanted to hear some DJ Clue exclusives.

DMX was the next performer, Clue introduced him and he ran onto the stage. The crowd roared as he began talking and there were a few controlled firework explosions to add effect. He was also accompanied by DJ Skratch, who stood behind a set of turn tables at the back of the stage. Though I'm by no means a big DMX fan, he did put on a very entertaining show. Starting off with tracks like 'No Love 4 Me' and 'My Niggas' DMX got the crowd hyped, with chanting hooks and singing along etc. He then began to talk about his career, getting reactions from the crowd etc. After he'd spent a few minutes doing that he recited a sort of poem/prayer. Then it was time for the ladies. He deepend his voice and took off one of his two shirts, you can guess what happened next, yup, that's right, all the ladies screamed as he began 'How;s It Goin' Down.' He didn't complete the track before losing his other shirt, pleasing every female in the arena. After he'd finished with that 'Aint No Way' and 'Slippin' were performed. Followed by the very loud (everyone joined in)'Stop Bein Greedy' and the even louder, very much hyped up (DMX made the crowd urge him to play it) 'Get At Me Dog.' And finally, he ended his set with 'Some X Shit.'

After that DJ Clue came back to the stage. Once again he played tracks at the wrong fucking speed. Which pissed me off, the funny thing was that although the crowds eyes were on him when he started his set, about two minutes after it had started. That changed. Some guy started break-dancing and everyone cheered him on. Clue shouted out his previous chants again but few paid attention.

Soon after, Jay-Z came onto the stage with Memphis Bleek and DJ Skratch. The crowd went mad. I joined in of course. One thing that stuck out about Jay's appearance was his jewellery. His rolex watch and chains glittered so brightly under the spotlight.

Jay came on while 'Jigga My Nigga' was being played - a cut which few knew well because it hadn't officially dropped yet. I was one of the only ones that went along with the hook. Then, Jay performed an acapella version (which was slightly adapted) of '22 Twos' he included going on about being four times platinum. Which he's entitled to, I suppose. He also performed 'A Million And One Questions' which was dope, he too had some good crowd participation going. He tried to start up the crowd participation with 'Aint No Nigga.' But, when it went quiet with Jay waiting for the crowd to sing the hook. The only voice you heard was mine. I got a few weird looks, haha.

The crowd really got into it when he played 'Can I Get A...' All the men were yelling "FUCK YOU" and all the women were covering the "whoop whoop's." Then, Jay looked at the side of the arena in which I was seated and started talking about the fact that we were much more live than Bleeks quiet side. So, Bleek encouraged his side to throw their middle fingers in the air and scream "Fuck that side" (aimed towards us). Well, our side had me, and when I replied, well, I went kinda crazy. We were louder and better than them.

Next came 'Jigga What, Jigga Who' with one side of the arena singing "Jigga What" and the other side were singing the "Jigga Who." That track was followed by 'Can't Knock The Hustle' - another time when I was the one of the only ones singing along. Jay-Z and Bleek also performed 'Who You Wit,''Money Aint A Thang,''Its Alright' and 'Ryde Or Die.' All of the tracks were performed superbly with a lot of people screaming and shouting the lyrics as the tracks went on.

After that, Jay briefly went off stage leaving Memphis Bleek and DJ Skratch alone to talk. Bleek went on about Skratch being a nasty freak and that he loved to eat pussy. Bleek also tried to encourage Skratch to do so on stage. Instead, Skratch did some cool Street Fighter mixing. What I mean by that is using samples from the game 'Street Fighter' and whilst doing some kung fu type of moves, he cut together some Street Fighter samples. Bleek praised him for it, but he also said "That aint eatin' pussy though, is it ?" So, Skratch went mad on the turntables, then shoved his head in between them, so as to look like he was getting low down and dirty. It was fuckin' hillarious.

Once that was over, Jay came back on stage and began performing 'Money, Cash, Hoes' which had the crowd really hyped (I'm not a big fan of the song, but live, it was dope). At the appropriate point, DMX came on to join in, once he'd finished his verse DMX left and the grand finale came into plan.

Jay-Z performed his title cut off of his last LP, 'Hard Knock Life.' The whole crowd rose to their feet and sang along at the top of their lungs, it was almost deafening but dope. Definately a brilliant show.