The job — Go see an iconic Hip Hop group (veterans of over two decades) headline a Festival on a Saturday night, take quality photos and write up a review. Accepted.
The Act — Wu-Tang.
Three days before the start of the festival, Wu-Tang pull out with no explanation.
However, there is a back-up plan by the organisers (shout out to them for reacting in the best possible way).
The job is still On.
Go see an iconic Hip Hop group (veterans of over two decades) headline a Festival on a Saturday night, take quality photos and write up a review.
The Act — De La Soul.
My initial disappointment turned once more into excitement. Having seen both acts before, I knew that as far apart in many ways from each other as they were, both would have equally been top quality performances. In some ways, De La Soul were more suited to Nozstock, taking into consideration the crowd and other acts. Wu-Tang would have been awesome I’m sure, but were — for me — a surprise inclusion in the first place.
So after taking in the surroundings and lovely atmosphere of Nozstock, capturing images on my digital SLR, I waited stage-side for De La, and right on schedule — around 11:30pm — they hit the stage. Maseo did the sound checks and kicked off with some dope 90’s beats before Posdnuos and Dave began addressing the eager crowd. They began with some shout-outs — J Dilla (R.I.P.) and fellow Native Tongue-ers, A Tribe Called Quest. Award Tour had the crowd bouncing! Being the true Gents that they are, they made an announcement on behalf of Wu-Tang, half-apologising (without knowing their reasons for the no-show) but getting a big cheer for their fellow New Yorkers from a very forgiving crowd.
For the best part of an hour they went through their discography, entertained, conversed and put on a great show. True to form they brought the best out of their audience — inticing them to make the most noise. A standard De La act, Posdnuos saying his side of the crowd were the loudest, whereast Dave claimed that the party was definitely on his side starting a noise war. All good fun. Speaking of good, Feel Good Inc had the people in raptures, Saturday had them buzzing.
On a personal note, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t hear Eye Know (a personal favourite of mine), and quite surprised that they never performed Ring Ring Ring, but I’m sure they had their reasons.
Embarrassing moment for me about half way through when they told everyone to get their hands up — even “you guys with your cameras at the front.…f‑ck the cameras, f‑ck work! Just put your hands up and have a good time!”
The crowd, huge credit to them, were brilliant throughout — vocal, energetic, supportive. A lot of them were young, perhaps even too young to remember or even know much of De La’s (early) work. Dave addressed this by saying something along the lines of, “Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with all the songs or know all the words, we just want y’all to have funtonight.”
And that we all certainly did.
The D.A.I.S.Y. age is well and truly alive.

Ranj Bans

Latest posts by Ranj Bans (see all)
- Review: KRS-One & DJ Premier @O2ForumKTown @IAmKRSOne @RealDjPremier — August 22, 2016
- Review: De La Soul (@WeAreDeLaSoul) Live At @Nozstock 2015. — October 2, 2015
- Review: @DJYodaUK at @TheForumHQ — April 5, 2015