Chico B. Day

Despite being born in Atlanta and raised in the southwest suburbs Kanye West’s home whether by choice or association is in Chicago. After winning two Grammys the bond between Kanye and his adopted city was stronger than ever. Soon after Kanye brought home the Grammy for “Best Rap Song” (Jesus Walks) Mayor Daley announced that February 27th 2005 would officially be “Kanye West day” in Chicago. Kanye West and his fantastical ego decided the best and only charity he could give his city, was to allow it to see him in a free concert, to be held on his day.

Even though, to avoid massive crowds, this once-in-a-life-time show was not publicized, word about this free concern leaked out to thousands throughout the city, including my friend. On February 26th, while browsing through internet blogs, he came across an opportunity that seemed to good to be true. He called to tell me about this “free Kanye concert at the House of Blues,”! Really? The concert was going to be a tribute to Chicago, including other Chicago born rappers Twista, Bump J, and Common. All of our doubts of the concert faded when we saw the scores of people lined up outside the House.

Considering that the House of Blues is general admission and a small capacity of about 600, we tried to show up as early as possible. For us as that was about an hour and a half before the concert began. We got in line with no idea if we came early enough to get in. After a few failed attempts to count up the line in front of us, we had to settle for the insecurity of maybe, hopefully, possibly getting in.

While waiting impatiently in line, our sole entertainment was another, albeit much lesser known, Chicago based rapper. A young Caucasian man, named Chico B, who had just been released on bail, decided what better place to rap than in front of a thousand people who aren’t going anywhere. He announced himself with the usual Hip Hop zeal and confidence, and he started to spit some actually bearable acapella lines. Holding up and shouting out his compilation disc, he was sure that if he could only get in to this concert and hand Kanye his disc, he could take off just like Ye.

Back in reality, my friends and I were getting closer and closer to the door of the concert. After we were 20 or 30 spaces away, I was sure we’d be seeing our icon, but with a radio message and a slight nod, the security guard shut the door of our hopes. To say the least we were exasperated. As angry as we were, the look on the face of Chico B was heart wrenching. Chico wouldn’t allow this opportunity to slip, he and hundreds of other frustrated fanatic fans decided to force their way in. All at once everyone was rushing the door, trying to push the security guards down; to think, all of this to see some famous suburbanite.

As the situation progressed, pushing turned shoving turned tackling. It wasn’t long until the cops came to settle the raging mob. Mace was sprayed and a fan or two was tackled, nothing you wouldn’t expect from a small riot. My friends and I left before the situation grew too out of control, never knowing how live the concert must have been.

Even though I’ll never know about the concert , if “Jesus Walks” was the first or last song played on the schedule, I still look at the experience positively. Maybe seeing Kanye and his short stature (5’6, 5’7) would have ruined his iconic figure for me, but more realistically the only positive I can draw from the experience was that I saw Hip Hop in its truest form.

No, I didn’t see the artists with the notoriety, the radio play, or the fame, but I got a chance to see Hip Hop where it begins. I saw a young pained man, with nothing to lose trying desperately to get his word out there. Chico B might not have the mass appeal or the even the talent, but to see his passion in its earliest stage is worth a trip to 329 Dearborn street with a couple of real good friends any day.

Kanye opted not to hold another concert despite his latest Grammy trophies. Perhaps this more than anything Ye does illustrates that the bigger you get the farther you get from the “heart of the city”.

Word is Bond- Macken

Special Thanks to Obi and Saif “We Raw”