22nd, the Shoreline Amphitheatre was instantly packed with hip-hop lovers who have been awaiting the performances of the “all-star” lineup.
The tour aimed to revive the golden age of hip-hop, with a particular emphasis on the year 1993. That year, classic albums including Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders and the Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang were released, and all performed at the Rock the Bells Tour.
During the afternoon, Lauryn Hill exhibited a performance that was unexpected. As she opened with her extended rock version of “Lost One” the crowd, expecting her to perform her classic music that emphasized her poetic verses and soulful vocals, did not seem to catch her groove. But, as she performed her Fugees tracks, including “Ready or Not” and ended with “Doo-Wop (That Thing)”, Lauryn Hill eventually moved the crowd and left the stage with respect.
The tour had a festival-like vibe because so many things were going on at once. People had the choice of going to two stages. The “paid-dues” stage that highlighted upcoming MC’s that included Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. And the main stage that consisted of legendary artists: some were eating food or getting drinks from the stands outside, others were just grooving to the music, and the rest were most likely “smoking good” or taking naps by the lawn.
Snoop Dogg’s set was a perfect way to end the long day because it was a laid-back performance that even included a large picnic table covered with 40 ozs., with Nate Dogg and with Warren G just chillin’ on stage. Along with performing his album, Doggystyle, he also included “Regulators” in his performance. By the end of the night, although getting out of the packed lots was a bit frustrating, the twelve hour stay, from 11am-11pm, was filled with good company and memorable performances which ended the night with the satisfaction of the crowd’s hip-hop munchies.

By Jenn Kim