PeterPaloooza with ScHoolboy Q, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Ab Soul and more…

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Peter Rosenberg, notorious Hot 97 radio personality and reality TV star, celebrated his birthday with a showcase of rappers. ScHoolboy Q, Action Bronson and Danny Brown all hit the stage, with Ab Soul and Vic Mensa jumping in as surprise guests.

You would expect something with “palooza” in the title to be somewhat epic and the packed lineup of rappers was a testament to the birthday boy himself, Peter Rosenberg. Everyone – from Danny Brown to Schoolboy Q – gave shoutouts of “Happy Birthday.” Some rappers poked fun, and how could they not? This was a guy who slammed Chuck D for not being “the president of hip hop” while also starring in a (somewhat addictive) VH1 a reality TV Show.

After birthday pleasantries and a few opening acts, Ab-Soul jumped onstage to perform a 45-minute set. He threw out album cuts like “These Days” and “Hunnid Stax”. For “Terrorist Threats,” Danny Brown hit the stage, rapping with a drink still in hand.

This was the first, but not the last surprise guest of the night. Vic Mensa, with newly blonde hair, was introduced with a strong co-sign from Rosenberg himself. He rocked the crowd with his hazy dance-rap “Feel That”.

Danny Brown killed it as usual. To get the crowd ready his DJ, Skywlkr, played a trippy electronic track that wove computer error message sounds, ringers and digital ear pollution together.. Danny, sporting his trademark green hair and striking his tongue-out pose, rocked everyone with both older songs and newer tracks like “Dip”.

Action Bronson always brings the party to another level, and his trademark lumbering through the crowd made sure this night was no exception. He spit off raps as Party Supplies shredded guitar, dropping hits like “Strictly for my Jeeps” and songs off Blue Chips 2.

It was clear, thought that the majority of the bro-heavy audience was there for ScHoolboy. The minute he took the stage the kids surged forward to sing along. The packed crowd jumped as “Gangsta” dropped and Q bounded on stage wearing his trademark white bucket hat.

During “Break the Bank”, First Lady of TDE, SZA, visited the DJ stand, chilling out and sparking a blunt. Rosenberg came over, obviously into both the Q performance and SZA. Despite the fact that he kept trying to sell t-shirts, love was shown to Peter. Q noted “He was the first one to played me on the radio” and people nodded.The talent to recognize talent is something to be respected, without a doubt.

As a tasting menu of rap, PeterPalooza succeeds. It would have been nice to see longer sets from fewer artists, which would give the vibe time to build. But regardless, this lineup, which reads like a rap nerds perfect playlist, was epic. The promise of “palooza” did not disappoint, and a sold-out show was another example of new talent taking off and finding an audience. The mix of bros, New York kids, and industry heavyweights was not disappointed, making the “birthday” a successful party, regardless of how many t-shirts were sold.



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