Live Show Report: Tobe Nwigwe and the Gang - Home Is Where The Hood Is Tour
"I told you that boy good!" - Coming to America (1989)
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“Home is Where the Hood Is Tour” is a great name for a hometown show after you make it. My experience with Tobe Nwigwe’s show begins by going with the same crew I went to see Janelle Monáe with, my little brother Markas, and my friend/music collaborator Andrew. I was so excited to see Tobe and the Gang that I bought the tickets up front and put them on my phone. I know it's how things are done now, just not in Cambodia, where I played my best shows.
I would describe Tobe Nwigwe as a rapper who combines a few things to make an epic showcase of his and his group's talents. Think of a Tobe Nwigwe performance as a combination of Hip Hop and Gospel music. Let's break down each one.
Hip Hop Skills: Tobe is a rapper with a self-proclaimed, limited singing ability. The rap skills shoot out of him like a lyrical symphony though. He's funny, he's flippant, he talks about guns, but doesn’t seem to curse very much unless you think “ho” is a curse word, and he’s awesome.
The Dancers: Tobe has about 14 dancers on stage with robes matching his own and choreographed moves. I spent a lot of time counting how many there could have been. They are out there all the time, and in my opinion, they are the best part of the show. Including the M.C. Hammer part, they do dances with Tobe and also do dances with...
Tobe's Wife, "Fat": A.k.a. Martica Nwigwe, who is a featured rapper on a few of Tobe's tracks. Andrew said she was a better rapper than Tobe, and I had to mention how easy that is when you are only on three or four songs during a full performance. She's good! You just look better when you show up and do headbanging choreography with the dancers. Besides, she's likely too busy taking care of...
Tobe and Fat's Kids: I think they have four, starting from around 7 years old. He took 10 minutes from his night show to give 3 of his kids the chance to do their best Michael Jackson dance moves with Michael Jackson’s past songs. The women, in particular, were cooing like crazy. Andrew was mad about it since "he paid his money and did not pay for the kids to dance.” I don’t disagree, but let the lil kids dance, man! The best dancer was the youngest and had two gloves to double the Jackson-ness.
The Choir: Throughout the entire set, there are choral arrangements on most of the songs he sings. Watching them take center stage during the more gospel portion of the show was a treat. These were each great singers. I’m pretty sure one of them opened the show to release and album of covers he just released.
Gospel Music: Not my crew's favorite part, but by the end of the show, Tobe wants to get real and uses the Lord to help him do that. It's certainly an interesting space, and the choir shines with the light of Jesus, unfortunately, that part wasn't our scene.
The Live Band: This is one of my favorite parts of hip-hop shows. A live band makes everything feel more alive. In addition to the choir, Tobe had a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist, and a keyboardist (I think). Everyone knew exactly what to do on each song. Which made Tobe and the Gang rock the house so friggin hard.
Tobe Nwigwe isn't trying to "do a show," he's trying to create an experience. He's a family man, and even has a line in Fye Fye about his kids coming to his show, or he’s leaving. The idea that a rapper can openly be a good father and work with Pharrell Williams is pretty incredible.
We loved the show. I've followed him based on the music videos he's released over the years that operate in a similar way to the show experience. They've got Fat rapping, Tobe braiding his kids’ hair, dancers going wild with epic choreography, and Houston rap legend Paul Wall showing up out of nowhere. When Tobe comes to your town, do yourself a favor and go see him.
While my crew wasn't into the gospel part of the show, we were overly down with the rest of it. Plus, it seemed like most of the people in the standing section are in couples, so don't expect to meet any thickie missies while you're out there. Like... they're there, but they seem to have boyfriends. Maybe your town will be different.
If you're going to spend your money on anything this year, spend it here.
Tobe Nwigwe and the Gang are worth it.