Aiybo! Phuza’d K-Ci lets the ladies down.
Sounds like Keith Sweat was the knight in shining armour that saved what could have been a disastrous Ladies Day concert thanks to the shameful drunken/drugged performance of K-Ci and JoJo, although Ginuwine did his part too to keep the concert on the up. By the way losers, we do have newspapers, tv and internet in “Aaafrica” and your poor treatment of your African fans will not go unchallenged. Thanks to Linda for representin’!
As I watched K-Ci and JoJo’s performance at the Women’s Day concert on Wednesday night, I was fuming, already planning what I was going to write about the ridiculous farce of an act the Hailey brothers were putting on. I was also cursing the crime situation at concerts because out of fear of being robbed of my new sleek new phone which takes such lovely photos, I had brought my old crappy phone. I wish I’d had a fantastic camera with me to capture the moment because I don’t think anyone who wasn’t at the concert would actually believe how poor a performance K-Ci and JoJo put on, and how drunk K-Ci was.
That was all before Keith Sweat came on stage though! He was the concert’s saving grace. He was professional, organised, and daymn! still oh so sexy after all these years!
But let’s talk about the first two acts first.
Ginuwine is cute, and he can really dance! I’ve never been a big fan, and I only really know his popular tracks that got played on the radio, like “Pony” and umm, umm, that other one. But I enjoyed his show; he was energetic, so fine, and very entertaining. His backing singers had great voices, and there were a couple of dancers with him as well, all male – a nice break from the standard fare of booty-shaking ho’s on stage.
I really liked the fact that we didn’t have to wait 30 minutes between acts; the stage management was tight. Well, actually, it’s not like there were any instruments to be moved around – Ginuwine had no band, just a DJ. K-Ci and JoJo had no band, no DJ, just a boom box. I’ve noticed that American artists tend to do this when they perform here in “the motherland”. They generally give us the budget version of the shows they put on back home. They should watch some of our local acts in concert – I’ve HHP perform with an 8-piece band; and I won’t even talk about the tight choreography of the likes of KB and the late Lebo Mathosa. American artists, we know what a good concert is; we are not fooled!
I’m getting sidetracked… so K-Ci and JoJo took to the stage after Ginuwine. K-Ci proceeded almost immediately to strip out of his oversized Sales House 1989- looking suit, until he was only in a wifebeater vest and pants, with his boxers showing. With his skinny, tattooed body, it was just not sexy. He swayed, and slurred his lyrics. I was pretty close to the stage so I could see his eyes – glazed and dilated – and I’m thinking “this man is drunk!” People around me also realised this, and some were standing still, no longer clapping or cheering; puzzled expressions on their faces.
K-Ci then jumped off the stage and was paraded among the crowd on the shoulders of some massive guy – one of his minders/bouncers. It was obvious that he was completely out of it. He was singing “if you think you’re lonely now” and got stuck on the “I wanna testify” – he sang that line about twelve times, his mike too close to his mouth so the sound was muffled, screaming much more than singing. It was just disgusting! This guy was not tipsy, or slightly drunk, he was effing poep-dronk. He was wedding-gatecrasher drunk; he was jilted-lover drunk; he was Chibuku-drunk. Do you get the picture?
I saw lots of people taking photos and video clips of this spectacle. Because my phone camera is so crap, I didn’t get any good photos. If anyone does, please send them to us at editor@represent.co.za
JoJo looked quite out of it himself; but he did most of the singing while his gremlin-looking brother was busy rubbing his crotch and lolling his tongue in a supposedly seductive manner. I just kept thinking that these guys bayadelela. Would they ever pull a stunt like this in New York or LA, or do they just think they can get away with it because we’re Africans? We paid good money to see them perform! I suppose that’s what we get when for continually bringing washed-out 1990s has-beens to our shores for concerts every year. That was the worst performance I have ever seen. K-Ci and JoJo eventually called Ginuwine and his band back on stage to help them (literally help them) perform some of their Jodeci songs, which would have been nice, except the sound was poor and I was quite gatvol by then.
Then Keith Sweat saved the day!! They set up the stage while a DJ kept the house rocking with some local tracks. There was a table with candles on it, a couch and hallelujah, a BAND! He actually brought a band!! And a backing vocalist with a stunning voice!
Keith Sweat came out on stage looking so fresh so clean, in blue jeans a white shirt and jacket. He looked NICE. It’s hard to believe that it’s almost 20 years since “Make it last forever”. I was almost ready to forgive dronkie K-Ci when Keith Sweat came out singing “Something something just ain’t right” with so much energy, passion. Keith did most of his old tracks, much to my delight, because I’m Old Skool like that. He even did “There you go” from the New Jack City soundtrack! I was done by the time he got to “I want her”, and called ten ladies onto the stage. About twenty showed up, but he was gracious, and let them all shake their thang up on the stage. He really engaged with the crowd, and kept us all singing along and screaming for more.
He did a couple more slow jams, including “Nobody”, with his backing lady! The girl was on fire! It really was a lovely ending to the evening. His performance was the longest, and by far the best. Thank you Keith Sweat – keep it coming!
There was an after party which I didn’t go to. Maybe someone can tell us about that. I’m left wondering how K-Ci felt the next morning, and whether they will apologise to the nation, or just expect us to let it slide. I’ll tell you one thing though – South Africans are not violent; that is just a myth. If we were violent, somebody would have thrown something onto that stage, and somebody would have given K-Ci a hot klap as he was being moved through the crowd. I’m left wondering something else – what’s up with Vatiswa Ndara? That outfit, that hair, she just didn’t work for me as an MC. To her credit, she took it in her stride when the crowd booed her. Shame.
