Masta Ace & Biz Markie Summerstage ShowBy J. Burke
My second Summerstage event of the year was the Masta Ace & Biz Markie show at Von King Park, formally Tomkins Park for those in the know. This was a special show for me because not only was it in my neighborhood and a short walk from my house but it was also my birthday. The setup to the actual show was different because the stage was a band shell that included a seating area. This meant there was also an open area between seating and the stage so if you wanted to be right in front of the stage, you could be.
The crowd was definitely an old school one as they went along with all of the records Mister Cee put on before the show and knew the words to all of them. It was a mix of older people and young kids and the crowd danced along to many of the records being played. None of the music was current and even Cee mentioned you weren’t going to hear any Bobby Shmurda or Fetty Wap at this show. After Cee warmed up the crowd, it was time for our first performer Masta Ace.
I wasn’t sure what Ace would perform as he’s been apart of the old school era in his Juice Crew days as well as the current era as part of the group eMC. Surprisingly, Ace stuck to mostly old school classics such as “Me and the Biz”, and his verses on “Crooklyn” and the classic “Symphony” record. He also hit us with some later career records like “Good Ol’ Love” and “Beautiful” from his albums released in the 2000’s. His energy on stage was great and he really got the crowd involved during the show and mentioned how he felt good performing in Brooklyn in front of such a receptive audience. Ace easily showed that he still has it and has not let his time in the game relinquish him to only being an old school act.
Next up was Biz Markie, our headliner. Danny Castro of Lyricist Lounge introduced him. I’ve never seen Biz perform and was not sure what he would bring to the stage. One thing about Biz Markie is that he has so many hits with “Nobody Beats The Biz” and “The Vapors” and he did them all. He also hit the crowd with some of his trademark beat boxing and had people singing along with him to hits by Michael Jackson and Rick James. There was only one way to end the show and of course it was with Biz performing “Just a Friend” and when it came on he did not disappoint. The whole performance of the song was a sing along and he even got members of the crowd involved as he pointed the mic at them for them to sing the words.
Summerstage is easily becoming a good time with every show where the crowd gets involved and it’s fun for all. Between the music, the food, and the energy in the park itself, plus the fact that many of these events are free, why wouldn’t anyone come out and enjoy themselves. It’s also great that many of these events take place in urban neighborhoods and they all go off without a hint of trouble, as people know how to control themselves in the right environment. The summer hasn’t even officially started yet but the events are underway and the music is bringing the people outside. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for more event photos.
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