Rapper Common rocks Relays show

Providing a break from the tense competition of the Penn Relays, hip-hop artists Common, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek entertained the crowds at Wynn Common on Friday night. The show -- called "The Resurrection of Hip-Hop 2001" and hosted by the Social Planning and Events Committee To Represent Undergraduate Minorities at Penn in conjunction with Power 99 FM -- also featured opening acts Download and the Vikings. Following some introductory words by Power 99 host Tiffany Bacon, the concert finally got rolling at 7:30 p.m. -- after a half-hour delay -- with Download, who performed for about 15 minutes. After they finished, the Vikings also played for 15 minutes before exiting the stage saying, "If y'all don't like [the music], we don't eat." However, the crowd was fairly small and inactive -- with the notable exception of some break dancers enjoying themselves in the middle of Wynn Common -- until Talib Kweli came out at around 8 p.m. And Talib definitely seemed to have the crowd captivated throughout his hour on stage, even when he yelled at some hecklers who booed artist J-Hood as he came out to perform in the middle of Talib's act. J-Hood was late for his original slot as an opener. But the main attraction of the night was definitely Common. The Chicago-born lyricist was SPEC-TRUM's first choice for a headline act. Common's most recent album, Like Water for Chocolate, was nominated for a Grammy and featured collaborations with artists such as D'Angelo, the Roots and Macy Gray. Midway through his act, Common was joined on stage by performer Tru Life, who "free-styled" -- a form of rap where people create rhymes and lyrics spontaneously. The concert drew rave reviews from those in attendance. According to College senior Kwasi Asare, the mix of acts was a perfect choice for college-age students. "It was an amazing expression of artistic work that really speaks to our generation," Asare said. "Common definitely provided a quality show." But the crowd was not exclusively made of Penn students, as many students from nearby universities came to hear the acts. For Drexel freshman Jesse Estler, it was the surprise appearance by Tru Life that made the evening. "I was surprised to see Tru Life there from Cross," Estler said. "I go to see them whenever they're in the city. The whole show was really hyped." And Temple University student Sean Weinstein said he thought the DJs were the highlight of the show. "I liked the DJs, the DJs were really good," Weinstein said. "But the music they played [during the opening acts] wasn't that good." The concert was promoted throughout the Delaware Valley and New York through radio advertisements. According to SPEC-TRUM Co-Director Erika Parkins, the event was easily SPEC-TRUM's largest project. "This is our biggest event of the year -- the most well-known," Parkins said earlier this month. "The energy behind it is spectacular." Common and Kweli were chosen from a field of prospective performers that included Mos Def and Mystikal, both because of their availability and their combined musical vibe.