‘When you wake up in da morning, smoke weed.
Before you brush your teeth in the morning, smoke weed.
Before you go to school, smoke weed.
When you get home from school, smoke weed.
And when you’re listenin to Snoop, smoke weed.’
I have never, and probably will never again, be in a room full of so much beer, smoke, weed, grillz and bling as I was last Wednesday night.
There I was, the whitest girl in The Blue Note, Columbia, jumping up and down five meters away from Snoop Dogg himself.
After the second consecutive snow day in Columbia (the first time since 2006 everything has been shut down), I was beginning to panic that Snoop wouldn’t be able to make it at all. Everything here is covered in snow, and the eve before the concert we were completely locked in our dorms as we waited for an extreme blizzard to pass. Things weren’t looking good, but if anyone could make their way through this mess, it was Snoopy himself.
When the news hit that the concert was going ahead, we were ready to Get Wet with Snoop. Getting wet is exactly what we did, sloshing through the nine inches of snow to get Downtown in -6°C. That’s dedication! I have never been so damn cold in my life. But there was light at the end of the tunnel; it was all in the name of Snoop.
When we finally arrived at The Blue Note, a frenzy of police hovered outside. So naive, I thanked the police woman for my first head to toe frisk search and she laughed and said I was welcome (spot the new kid on the block).
With embarrassing underage stamps on our hands (the legal drinking age in the US is 21), we were finally inside, one step closer to seeing the man himself.
I was pleasantly surprised with the venue. The Blue Note is located on 9th Street and is similar to The Forum on Flinders. It has character, with old-school architecture and a vintage stage. There is an upper level with a balcony, and a lower ground level. We were on the ground; a huge mosh-pit and token bar behind. Best 35 bucks I’ve ever spent!
It was now 9.30, and people were dancing to the songs left on loop. I listened to Teach Me How To Dougie about five times before the support act Stevie Stone arrived.
Lets be honest, I was just here for Snoop. But you could pick the die-hard fans with their palms on the floor and butts in the air, shakin’ what they momma gave ‘em. Watching Americans dance is quite an experience in itself…
The support act finished, and the crowd was beginning to get anxious. It wasn’t until 11.30 that Snoop himself graced us with his presence.
The lights went dim, and spontaneously, fans screamed. The DJ waited for complete silence until he began to play Carl Orff’s O Fortuna. The suspense was incredible! After a minute, when the song’s tension became excruciating, who comes casually strolling out? Snoopy Snoop! It. Was. Amazing. He had the biggest bling across his mic and his signature slicked back hair in a plait, also rocking some slick shades.
People screamed, jumped, cried; and here I was standing next to my two Irish mates laughing my head off. What the hell was I doing here screaming for Snoop Dogg in a college town across the other side of the world? Having the time of my life of course! To be honest, I know a total of three of Snoop’s songs, so I can’t be sure what he opened with. But I assure you that it was a crowd favourite. He then steered the crowd into a Tupac tribute, getting us to chant, ‘We love you. We miss you!’
And then he revived the golden oldies.
‘How many people in ‘ere ‘ave love for Snoop for five years?’ We screamed.
‘How many people in ‘ere ‘ave love for Snoop for ten years?’ We screamed.
‘How many people in ‘ere ‘ave love for Snoop for over 15 years?’ We screamed, but mostly laughed because the two Irish girls and one Aussie clearly had not known the lyrics to any of his songs played so far.
But that was soon to be fixed when he asked the crowd if we wanted him to make us his favourite drink – Gin And Juice!
After that, the hits kept coming. He played a cover of Akon’s I Wanna “Love” You’, Sensual Seduction, and of course, Drop It Like It’s Hot.
‘When the pimp’s in the crib ma – drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot.
‘Someone sing this shit back with me yall…I got the rolly on my arm and I’m pouring Chandon…’
We sang back, ‘and I roll the best weed cause I got it going on!’
But the pinnacle of the night, by far was when Snoop stopped the music and spoke. ‘Now, I’ve got y’all to dance tonight. And I’ve got y’all to wrap tonight. But I wanna see if I can get y’all to do something different. I wonder if… I can… make y’all jump?’
The record screech at the beginning of House Of Pain’s Jump Around made everyone hysterical. There was not one person standing still. We were jumping for the heavens with our hands in the air, ‘wavin’ em like we just did’n’ care,’ all in the name of Snoop.
Then he left us with his profound advice to smoke weed, and casually strolled off.
What a night. I love America!
Liana Neri is currently on exchange at the University of Missouri. This is her third piece for upstart.
