When Concert Up In Smoke Tour?
Up In Smoke Tour was a popular concert tour that was done by rappers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Eminem. It occurred in early 2000 when Eminem was at the height of his commercial success and dominance as the premier rapper in hip hop.
It began on 28 October 2000 in Eminem’s hometown Detroit. It was an extensive one that took 22 days in total and most of the large cities of the United States including New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and many others. The last performance was on the 18th of December 2000 and was held at the Honda Center, in Anaheim.
The lineup itself was beyond legendary. Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg were the original kings of hip hop who had dominated the 90s rap scene. Ice Cube was a key figure in the gangsta rap scene and was part of the pioneering group NWA together with Dr Dre. And Eminem was the fiery, controversial phenomenon who led rap into the mainstream pop culture orbit. Both the artists had several platinum albums and #1 hits – together they toured like a charm and had the magic of a combined selling power that no other superstar duo had at that time.
Everything about the concept and the marketing of the tour was tailored into the marijuana culture as well as the stoner comedy movies which was in harmony with Snoop and Dre’s signatures. The name itself was a reference to the Cheech and Chong stoner classic Up In Smoke. Some artist willingly invited the crowd to light it up during their performances. Meanwhile, promo posters, merchandising, and stage decor relied on pot leaf imagery and psychedelic aesthetics.
Not only were these four rap juggernauts at the peak of their fame, but they also had a collaborative history which added another layer. Snoop was Dr. Dre’s protégé who became famous from Dre’s 1992 album ‘The Chronic’. Ice Cube was in Dre’s group, N. W. A. And Dre had signed Eminem to his label and produced his records. This meant there were many of the famous tracks the four rappers in the group had recorded that they could now actually do on stage.
Some songs could not fail to leave the audience happy. Snoop and Dre were blessed with a host of party songs like Still DRE, Next Episode, Nuthin But A G Thang, and Gin and Juice. Cube was raw gangsta rap Check Yo Self and You Can Do It. And Eminem entertained people with such songs as The Real Slim Shady, Stan, and The Way I Am. The shows also included cameo performances by Xzibit, Kurupt, D12, Mel Man, and other artists.
Fans were also treated to their money’s worth – most concerts had a minimum of 2 hours with all the 4 stars not finishing their performances early. And with the different performers who would go on the stage, you never knew who was going to perform at the end of the night. One day he might perform with lots of energy like Eminem and another day it is all groovy and cool like Snoop Dogg.
The reception to the tour was overwhelmingly positive. The explosive sets and the continuous string of hits were appreciated by many critics. Audiences enjoyed watching their favorite rap artists performing together and bringing out the best in each other. He and other groups were later described by many publications as the best rap tours of all time.
However, it was not all smooth sailing as there were a few glitches here and there. Eminem got into trouble for violent performance segments that depicted choking and attacking his then-wife, Kim Mathers. The last show in Anaheim was canceled due to rain. That was also typical for many rap performances of that time and the quality of the sound also differed from one venue to another.
But all in all the UP In Smoke Tour was a success and 2001 will go down as a huge year for Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Eminem. It proved that edgy hip-hop can rule arenas just like rock bands do. In the eyes of most critics and fans, it was as good as everyone had expected of it, a lineup that only comes once in a generation. And two decades later the UP In Smoke trek is still considered legendary, a crowning live achievement from four rap goats at the peak of their combined powers.
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