“We been hot for a long time, burning like a candle…”
After over 20 years of dropping hits to rearrange sets, Puff Daddy & The Family added a new, shiny finish to their bulletproof axiom: “Bad Boy for life.” In addition, whilst paraphrasing the late, great Michael Jackson, besides being a once in a lifetime event, this past weekend’s back-to-back Bad Boy Family Reunion experience at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn established ‘who’s still bad.’
Between Puff Daddy redefining the term ringmaster, the illustrious Bad Boy alum (Faith Evans, Ma$e, Lil Kim, 112, Total) stupefying 19,000-plus with indelible hits, and special guests like Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Nas, and DMX helping ignite the birthday candles for the Invisible Bully, Notorious B.I.G. — the two-night celebration of Bad Boy’s family tree certainly deserved the ‘greatest show on Earth’ title. But before Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey agree to come off of their famous slogan, here we line up some five moments throughout the epic Bad Boy Reunion weekend that made everyone say, rewind that.
Shyne Reports Live From Belize
Reporting live from Belize, Shyne Po stole the show on Saturday night (May 21) with a “Bad Boyz” performance that drew goosebumps and Instragram-recordings, as it projected live on the big screen.
DMX & Swizz Beatz Shut Em Down
As the billed special guests, DMX and Swizz Beatz tore down Barclays with a rousing set that felt like a trip back to 1999. Together, the dynamic duo ran through high-energy classics like “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” “Party Up,” and “Get At Me Dog.” X remains one of the game’s livest performers.
Nas & Puff Daddy Break Out The Full-Length Minks
Insider Access | Nas joins Puff Daddy for “Hate Me Now”
All-black attire, check. Eye-blinding jewelry, check. Full-length mink with a full-length train? Check. Now, cue up “Hate Me Now.” Nas and Puff Daddy, together on stage performing their supreme 1999 middle-finger wagging anthem? God level.
Faith Evans Swoons Barclays
Insider Access | Faith performs “Soon As I Get Home”
As one of the most moving moments during her set, Faith Evans, also known as the First Lady of Bad Boy, opened up heaven’s gates with her riveting performance of “Soon As I Get Home.”
Hovi’s Home
Jay Z, or as Puff duly noted “B.I.G.’s brother,” sacrificed missing out on Blue Ivy’s recital to honor his late friend. “This my brother. This B.I.G.’s brother. This Brooklyn’s own Brooklyn!” said Puff before asking Jigga to perform his favorite song, “Public Service Announcement.”
With so many other special moments that deserve mention, do yourself a favor by purchasing a ticket or two for the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, which kicks off this summer from August 25th in Columbus, OH through October 8th in Oakland, CA. Tickets are available now.