Spotlights, Escalades, limousines and copious cop vehicles—precisely what the atmosphere outside a rap concert should be. There was a definite buzz around the Pacific Coliseum. That buzz, if visible, would have been rivaled in quantity only by the smoke that seemed to be billowing out of every orifice of the individuals inside.

Of the two big names on the bill, there certainly seemed to be more questions surrounding Ice Cube. Cube seemed conscious of this, as references were made on stage as to whether or not he should still be rapping, considering the “movie money” he is now pulling down. Ice Cube showed impressive stage energy though, bouncing around and displaying considerable aggression for the star of Are We There Yet? The only questionable part of Cube’s act was the giant “Westside” hand, which looked like a stage prop that would be more at home ironically accompanying the Beastie Boys.

Between stars came unexpected entertainment, as a noticeably inebriated male found a visible area to strut, drawing cheers. He even used the crowd to ward off security. Others attempted to join in and garner some attention, unsuccessfully, and a chair-throwing incident occurred. The original fan-favourite did get his fifteen minutes of fame though; too bad he won’t be able to remember it.

Snoop Dogg took the stage and delivered a set that seemed tailored to the fans’ desires. It included Snoop’s hits, new and old; some shared stage time with Ice Cube, and the expected drug, alcohol and sexual references were made. Snoop did questionably subject the crowd to his uncle’s dancing, but for the most part his extensive crew was made up of strong contributors. The show delivered exactly what the crowd hoped for. Snoop dropped it, and it was hot.