Lil Jon reminds fans at Chevy Court no one’s ‘too old to party’
DJ Era, who opened for Lil Jon at The Great New York State Fair, encouraged the crowd and the artist himself by announcing that they “weren’t too old to party.” The energy at the concert reflected that mentality, with crowds on their feet and singing along. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Rain and strong winds midway through the Lil Jon concert didn’t dampen the energy in the air last night. The rapper said it best: “One thing you gotta know, there’s no sitting down in a Lil Jon concert.”
Lil Jon performed at the Great New York State Fair’s Chevy Court on Tuesday night, offering a blast back to the early 2000s rap scene in an exhilarating one-hour set. Though the heavy clouds were a concern at one point, Lil Jon gathered fairgoers in and outside of the concert gates, offering nonstop fun for millennial and Gen Z audiences alike.
DJ Era kicked off the night with songs like Flo Rida’s “GDFR,” 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” and Nelly’s “Hot in Herre.” With classic 2000s rap songs setting an immediate tone for the concert, the message was clear.
“You’re not too old to party,” DJ Era said before introducing Lil Jon to the stage.
Though friends Sarah Rivera and Maria Lorenzo met in 2016, the two had individually attended concerts long before, listening to early 2000s rap during their adolescent years.
“We are both in our 30s, so Lil Jon was very big when we were in middle and high school,” Lorenzo said. “Lil Jon was talking about the early 2000s era and that was part of us.”
Lil Jon entered with a crowd favorite as LMFAO’s “Shots” queued. Just like how the song gets people in the mood to party, Lil Jon’s concert was gearing audiences up to do the same.
Lakisa Renee has always kept the Fair on her radar, but when she saw Lil Jon was performing at Chevy Court, the superfan was more than excited to watch her favorite artist. She wore a colorful ensemble with gold accessories to fit the occasion.
“His first few songs into his crunk era were my first memories of Lil Jon,” Renee said. “‘Never Scared’ with Bone Crusher, ‘Get Low,’ ‘Lovers And Friends’ with Usher, those were the years.”
Dreary weather didn’t stop Lil Jon from lighting up the stage on Tuesday night. Audiences heard songs from a variety of eras, spanning from Guns N’ Roses to Kid Cudi. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
Lil Jon continued his performance with “Shake That Monkey” and Pitbull’s “Krazy.” As the energy in the crowd grew, so did Lil Jon’s. The concert took off from there as he buzzed around the stage.
DJ Era transitioned into Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” before Lil Jon took the reins in the booth to show off his DJ skills. The transition into “Pursuit of Happiness” was especially popular with the younger crowd, marking a change in tone as Lil Jon queued Lucenzo’s “Danza Kuduro,” “Tokyo Drift” and a remix of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” and Endor’s “Pump It Up.”
Though the concert catered toward a younger audience, Lil Jon didn’t forget about the older audience members. What first sounded like a transition into another classic party song instead turned into Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.’” The twist surprised audiences, making the concert even more enjoyable.
After playing a series of classic rock songs like Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” Lil Jon returned to playing for the younger audience with Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” With seamless transitions from one genre to the next, it was clear that Lil Jon’s talent lies in front of and behind the DJ booth, catering to a large demographic of audiences.
Lil Jon stepped away from the DJ booth and returned to center stage to perform Soulja Boy’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” With everyone’s arms directed to the left and bodies leaning toward the right, Lil Jon joined in the action and danced alongside the audience.
With repeated 2000s hits throughout the night, it was clear Lil Jon was biased toward that era. He later explained why:
“We partied all night, danced all night, and sang songs like this,” Lil Jon said before transitioning to T-Pain’s 2007 hit “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’).”
Lil Jon also performed his iconic “Get Low,” prompting dance moves from the audience like pointing left to the “window” and right to the “wall.” After performing the well-known song for over 23 years, Lil Jon has had his fair share of fans messing up the moves, and the rapper made sure to correct his fans.
Lil Jon wrapped up the night with the most popular song in his discography, DJ Snake’s 2013 “Turn Down for What.” Several audience members stood on top of their seats while others banged their heads, making a signature ending for the rapper.
“ I’ve been a huge Lil Jon fan since 2004. I’ve loved every song and I’ve even been to a few concerts,” Renee said. “I know I look young, I was in the club during that era.”
