Top 6 Reasons You Should Experience JID x Smino, the “Luv is 4 Ever” Tour (1–5)
A Concert Review: for all the homies that couldn’t make it
March 15: HISTORY, Toronto
- Great music, seriously just all-around stellar music, performances, mixing, and song selection; a impressive set of sets.
- Waiting in a line wrapping around a block for a 7pm entry time but a 7:45pm start. If you can’t find love in 45 minutes, you’re here for the wrong reasons.
- Speaking of love; seeing your ex for the first time in 2 years. Like a deer in headlights. Love is forever eh? Even if you break up? Solution is hiding in the crowd with eyes down and a bunch of alcohol.
- Shout out to the opening act, Jordan Ward, and his new album FORWARD. The crowd mostly stands still. A damn shame because his performance was great, I’m excited to listen to more of this guy.
- Ready to bump into the lifeless husks of the crowd? Number 5 goes out to all audience members who did not move a single muscle the entire show, thanks for filling out the spots.
Check out number 6 at the bottom if you’re feeling impatient; but let’s give these artists the credit they are due. Below is my concert review:
First, a swan song to Nattra, who couldn’t make the show, but very generously sauced me his ticket. Without you, I would’ve missed the show, so thank you.
It begins with a bang…
The planets and stars fade into a bright light. Lights flash. “J.I.D & Christo”. The crowd roars and the ground shakes in anticipation.
Opening the set, JID hits every beat and every rhyme with a precision “Off da Zoinkys”, without so much as breaking a sweat. His flow and breath control in perfect form as if he came straight out of the studio after recording DiCaprio II. JID is met with thunderous applause from the jump.
Throughout his roughly hour-and-a-half set, JID performed a mix of old classics and new favourites. “Never” represented The Never Story, and “Off Deez” and “Workin Out” brought DiCaprio II in full force. Consistently, he engaged the crowd, even when our attention wavered, J.I.D kept us fixated on his performance and anticipating his next song.
Stars is one of my personal favourites off The Forever Story. It was a experience seeing it live. The entire stage went dark. Iphone flashlights lit up the void while the heart-screens displayed images of blue stars. The beautiful opening strings and pianos took us to another world, the atmosphere undeniably relaxed while we held our breaths for the drop.
“Baby girl have faith…”
I realized this show, more than ever, JID is an “artists-artist”. His determination and drive to put music out there. In the face of pressures of the world, to exemplify the pressures of the black artist, was inspiring to see.
For myself, I came out of this show feeling weirdly understood as a artist, motivated to push my craft.
When it was time for fun, JID put out Dreamville bangers Down Bad. Bruddanem, the stage turned purple and the lights turned red, the heart going red to match. Everyone’s phone was bouncing as they moved along.
For the most part, the JID half was full of fans who knew the words and great sounds. For the most part, it was a relaxing atmosphere.
Until we got to “Stick”. Holy hell, the lights went red and flashed everywhere, a giant moshpit opened up in the middle of the floor. A guitar solo ripped through the beat and the chants of “I got a new stick!”. People slammed into each other, and as the final notes played, we all cheered with exhaustion.
After a fantastic first half of the show, I was ready to get some water. But I had somehow managed to maneuver to the front of the stage. Just in time for act II.
SMINO, SMINO, SMINO! — the crowd cheers.
Smino popped out of the left side and his appearance electrified people. I didn’t know there were this many Smino fans in Toronto.
Opening up with “KLINK” carried the energy over from JID, even though it was over a backing track. Right after, he busted out “Z4L”. Overall, a great set of warm-ups to get us back into the concert mood.
At one point, I thought I spotted a lit marijuana-infused candle for Smi D Jakes. Smino got us cheering, people created cyphers on the dance floor, he brought a fan on stage to rap and sing along with him; being in a Smino crowd was easy, breasy, and outrageously fun.
One of the things I loved about both artists is they pay their dues; JID and Smino introduced us and applauded us to applaud their bandmates, friends, and musical peers. Included their names and everything. It was great to get to know some of the people on stage with them.
Now, “Netflix and Dusse” is a personal favourite of mine off blkswn. When,
“see, usually I don’t do this, but uh
I’ma go ahead and break ’em out with a little bit of the remix”
I knew what was to come. A great vibe washed over the crowd, full of happiness and cheer, while my absolute manic belting of the lyrics made a clean cut through the ambiance.
Then “Wild Irish Roses” got people smoking. “Spinz” got the security team dancing in the crowd, walkie-talkies and ties on and everything. Front to the back, the energy of this crowd was one of fun, lightheartedness, and joy.
Iphone lights lit up the stadium on 90 Proof, and as Smino did J-Cole’s verse, it felt like we all shared a moment, not entirely different to “Stars”, but not as sentimental. The crowd was more hyped up for this song overall, and I really think ’90 Proof’ might be one of Smino’s lasting tracks.
Due to the backing tracks at the beginning, I expected Smino to continue to rely on them but was pleasantly surprised when there were not that many later on in the show. The show continued and Smino’s energy seemed to rise, and he kept our energy high as well.
My favourite moment was when he brought a fan on stage. After spitting bars together to , Smino got on his knees at one point to hold a note. He put his entire voice into it like a real rockstar.
This was the show I realized; Smino truely is cut from the same cloth as those old jazz musicians and church singers he grew up with, infusing everything he does with his soul and putting himself into it. And —
knock knock knock. Oh, who is that loud knocking? Good weed at the door?
Ending the night was the song “No L’s”, one of the first cuts from the new album. A lot of the new album was played; “Curtains”, “Pro Freak”, “Ole Ass Kendrick”, “Louphoria”, “Matinee”, and single material “I Deserve It” and “Rice & Gravy”. But out of all these great songs, I missed Lee and Lovie at the end of the show; I feel like it would’ve been a great sendoff. But regardless of its exclusion, Smino still delivered a moving and infectious show.
By the end of the night, I was done. For Smino, I didn’t get a drink of water. I stayed there, sweaty, dehydrated, and exhausted, for the entire second hour and a half. Thank god for the HISTORY staff handing out bottles to the crowd, and the people around me who shared. I do not regret a second.
Luv is 4 Ever was a fantastic tour for both of these artists. I highly recommend going to a Smino and/or a JID show. If you’re in Europe, go.
Check out the setlist below for all the hits played on tour:
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/0ccf9197-8d6f-42e7-a7e0-4a03e53bd10c
Discover what #6 is here and keep it real.
