Smoking ban can't keep Afroman from blazin'
Afroman rocks the Blue Fugue with a little help from his friends.
Published March 2, 2007
Before stepping onstage in front of a packed and wildly energetic crowd at the Blue Fugue Wednesday night, Joseph Foreman, better known as L.A. rapper Afroman, freestyled to explain what the audience could expect from his performance: "Just me, just Afroman/ just mellow, drunk/ high type flow/ not too fast, not too slow."
Sporting a T-shirt that read "USM: University of Smoking Marijuana" and holding the trademark blunt in his hand, Foreman led an enthusiastic and eclectic group of fans in raucous sing-a-longs of the hits that made him famous: "Colt 45" and the 2001 novelty stoner smash "Because I Got High." The latter is possibly the greatest hip-hop public service announcement since "White Lines (Don't Do It)."
Foreman took the stage around midnight, with a host of local and up-and-coming artists and hip-hop aficionados keeping the crowd moving before his performance. St. Louis-based songwriter Tucker Booth walked onstage wearing a George W. Bush mask and engaged the crowd with his "rock star rap," a distinctive blend of humor and hip-hop. Graffiti writer Calc2 was up onstage doing a live art set.
Local favorites Flotus turned the bar into a collective dance floor with patrons shaking their respective groove things to the band's funk-infused jam-rock sound.
Hip-hop ensemble the FuFops got the crowd hyped for the headliner.
Foreman stated before the show that he was looking forward to seeing some of the up-and-coming talents, saying he was most excited to see the FuFops perform.
As midnight rolled around and Foreman began his set to the high-pitched roar of the crowd, members of his crew hawked Afroman T-shirts off the stage.
Foreman himself said he was on tour with the hopes of promoting his new material, including a new album and single, both titled "Waiting To Inhale."
Foreman added that though he is still grateful to his fans who might only know him for "Because I Got High," he tries to promote his new material as much as possible.
"It's always good when I go to a new market, new people, a new show," Foreman said.
"It's just the whole atmosphere," Foreman said. "I remember some of my best shows were in bars. I'll perform anywhere where people are happy about my music and happy about my set list."
The closeness of Foreman to the audience allowed for a unique energy and communal effort.
He performed "Colt 45" and "Because I Got High" back to back to an eruption of enthusiasm from the audience. During the chorus of "Colt 45," Foreman let the audience take over, shouting back every word.
MU freshman Nicki Marder, who attended the show, said she loved it because of its laid-back atmosphere and the crowd's enthusiasm for singing along with Afroman's greatest hits.
"Everyone in the bar started rapping together, which was tons of fun," Marder said.
Although most of the crowd anticipated the spirited performance of his novelty hits, Foreman still found ways to surprise the crowd with his musical skills, accompanying himself on the electric guitar with a funk, jam-rock feel.
"I play the guitar, kind of like a rapping B.B. King or Chuck Berry for 2007," Foreman said.
During "Because I Got High," Foreman played an extended solo, with the audience singing over the instrumental full-force, echoing the "Why man?" in the song's refrain.
During the verse about self-gratification, one could hear the entire male audience get significantly louder as they sang finding both humor and relevance in the lyrics.
Marder said the show's intimacy and the connection Foreman had with the audience made the evening so successful.
"The show was really fun," Marder said. "It was incredible being practically on the stage just a few feet away from the man that gave us 'Colt 45.'"
I thought the venue was perfect, and the chill atmosphere made the whole experience even better."
Foreman said he enjoyed playing to a college audience because of the positive energy students bring to the show.
"College is the height of positivity," Foreman said. "Because you realize after that, it's all work. You're just a couple of beers away from that now, and that's the best place to be."
St. Louis resident Tucker Booth said he was thrilled that a nationally recognized artist like Afroman could still play an intimate show at a venue like the Blue Fugue alongside local artists.
"He's a well-respected artist," Booth said. "I was honored that the promoters would consider me to open for him, and I'm honored he's doing a club show. You get so much more personal with the crowd, and I admire that."