In support of their brand new collaboration album, released Tuesday on Atlantic Records, rap legend Snoop Dogg and Grammy-nominated newcomer Wiz Khalifa took the stage at the The Wiltern in Los Angeles and lit up the venue- literally. The entire evening revolved around the two superstars and their love of smoking weed. I have never been in a venue that was filled with so much smoke in all of my life. Every single person in there, save myself, was getting high including the artists on stage. I tried to find a single person not smoking pot and absolutely came up empty-handed (again, except for myself). It’s all legal in California, of course, and at one point Snoop made sure to have everyone wave their medical marijuana licenses in the air.
Through the smoke, the lighters, the haze, and the all-around party atmosphere, it was clear that the evening was really about celebrating the collaboration between Snoop and Wiz. It was apparent that they were thrilled to unveil their new record because both of their performances were impeccable. The new album, Mac and Devin go to High School, is the soundtrack to a their movie which is titled the same thing. Their set began with a clip from the film and depicted a studious Devin (played by Wiz) trying to make the grade in high school. His studies are interrupted by the mischievous Mac (played by Snoop) who sneaks him a pot brownie and got him high at school.
After the introduction video, Wiz performed a solo set. Clad in a leather jacket, fur hat, and sunglasses, the skinny young rapper captivated the crowd with his dominating stage presence. Moving freely around the stage, Wiz blazed through an energetic set that got every stoner in the crowd dancing. He started off with a couple of in-your-face tracks, including “Gang Bang”. He then took a moment to ask the audience, “Who got the best weed in this mother f*****?” After the jubilant cheers died down, Wiz continued with “Reefer Party” and a brief rendition of T-Pain’s “5 O’Clock”, on which Wiz is featured. He brought a guest on stage for another up-tempo tune, then kept the energy up with “The Race”. Wiz made a point of thanking the fans for their support and didn’t falter a step in his flow as he soared right into more songs, including the catchy “Never Been”. For his closing song he brought some pals on stage for a tribute to his high school friends from Pittsburg and they all got down to “Taylor Gang”.
After another short video clip, featuring Mac and Devin smoking more weed this time at the dentist, the one and only Snoop Dogg took the stage. Donning a tan colored shirt and pants, dark sunglasses, and a ring full of bling, he immediately launched into a remarkable set and jumpstarted the party. After an upbeat intro, Snoop riled fans up with a medley of some of his greatest hits. “The Next Episode”, “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang”, and “B**** Please” blended smoothly from one chorus to the next, putting big smiles on the faces of the longtime fans. It was amazing to hear songs that still carry so much relevance even after the passage of time, and that fans young and old still rap every single word. Snoop dedicated the next song to all the ladies in the house as he sat down in a chair while scantily clad dancers writhed and shook to “I Wanna F*** You". After ripping through a couple more tunes, and asking several times, “Is anybody in the house smoking weed?” the talented rapper performed most of “Ain’t No Fun”, which whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Snoop moved smoothly around the stage, displaying confidence and style every step of the way. He invited some guests on stage for “Wrong Idea”, then closed his solo set with the ever popular “Who Am I (What's My Name)?"
The next video clip showed Mac and Devin getting higher and higher, smoking from every kind of device available. When it ended the crowd went wild as Snoop reemerged, followed shortly thereafter by Wiz who had changed hats, lost the leather jacket, and was happily smoking a joint. He kindly passed it to Snoop and they continued to share for the rest of the night- they even let a lucky fan in the front row take a hit. The puffing and passing was appropriate for “That Good”, during which the pair made reference to being the new Cheech and Chong- and no one in the audience disagreed. With all the talk of weed, it was almost forgotten that one of Snoop’s most famous songs actually revolves around alcohol. Wiz lead the way then was perfect backup for Snoop during crowd favorite “Gin and Juice”, which the Wiltern bars were actually selling as a drink that night. Snoop gave the spotlight back to Wiz for “On my Level.”
The powerhouse duo then played the first song of their new collaboration album called “Smokin' On”. The song sounded fantastic and gave the fans a tempting taste of what to expect from the record. After a brief song about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, Wiz took time to pay respects to Snoop and the legacy he has created in rap. “We appreciate all he’s done for us,” Wiz told the crowd who screamed and applauded in agreement. “We idolize him.” Snoop responded with a great rendition of “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, then helped Wiz crank out a powerful version of his hit single “Black and Yellow”, which Snoop admitted was one of his favorite songs. It was time for one more movie break, which depicted Mac, Devin, and friends participating in a weed smoking competition, then Snoop and Wiz came back out for one last jam. Their budding friendship and passion for music was apparent as they performed their catchy new single “Young, Wild, and Free”.
Throughout the entire evening the crowd fed of the energy of the performers, as well as the marijuana they inhaled. Smoke wasn’t the only thing that enveloped the special evening however- camaraderie, respect, and first-rate music also filled the packed venue. It is was wonderful to see Snoop, one of the most famous, influential, and longest lasting rappers in the game, and Wiz, representing the new, up-and-coming wave of artists, team up to create such impressive tracks. I don’t know if it was the magic of the music and charisma of the performers, or if I simply got second-hand high, but the concert was one of the most entertaining, engaging, and downright fun experiences that I’ve had in a while.
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