Wu-Tang style brings the ruckus at 123

I walked into 123 Pleasant Street Tuesday evening expecting sights of flying knees and sounds of the powerful hip-hop from Cappadonna of Wu-Tang Clan.

Immediately my ears were pleased, as DJ Jam Master J’son, son of the legendary DJ Jam Master Jay and current disc jockey for Run DMC, was onstage getting the growing crowd pumped up for the evening’s artists.

I have been a fan of Wu-Tang Clan for a long time and was looking forward to seeing Cappadonna perform, especially in an intimate setting like 123 Pleasant Street.

The crowd was smaller than I predicted, but it was a Tuesday, after all.

Despite its lacking size, the audience didn’t seem to affect the opening acts as they hit the stage and demonstrated their hip-hop talents.

"It’s a lot more than rap for me," said Dylan Sinclair, the first artist of the night to perform.

Sinclair’s performance was impressive, although his style fell short of unique. He was energetic and smooth and gave much love to West Virginia in his rhymes.

The occasion was prime time for all of the local, undiscovered opening acts. This was a time for them to shine in front of someone who has made a name for himself in the hip-hop world.

"It’s a blessing to share the stage with a legend (Cappadonna)," Sinclair said.

Ace Beans with Johnny Harmonic and Monstalung, who came onstage around 11 p.m., brought energy as well but didn’t hit a level close to Wu-Tang.

Ace Beans collaborated well with the other rappers onstage, making his set fun and memorable.

While this was a great opportunity for these aspiring artists, it was hard to believe that some of the acts were opening for a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Instead of a raging hip-hop party, the vibe in the bar was relaxed and intimate.

For much of the night, I had the impression I was at an open mic night instead of a concert.

To put it simply, much of the night could be summarized as a bunch of lame white dudes trying to rap.

I mean, there’s nothing wrong with being a lame white dude – I’m a lame white dude, but I also know I can’t rap.

By the time M-80, who is the current Guinness Book of World Records holder for longest freestyle, hit the stage, the crowd had vastly increased in anticipation of the night’s featured act.

The venue wasn’t sold out, but there was a heavy presence of hip-hop fans ready for some Wu-Tang style.

M-80 presented a heavy dose of solid rhymes and a smooth lyrical flow. At one point during his set, he rejected a request from an annoying audience member, denouncing most of the popular hip-hop of today.

He kept to his own and successfully readied the crowd for Cappadonna.

The only disappointing aspects of Cappadonna’s set were its length – it was too short – and the fact that he called the location "VA."

Other than that, it was spectacular.

Even when he rapped songs I was unfamiliar with, it had that same unmistakable Wu-Tang style.

Cappadonna even stepped off the stage and ventured into the crowd during the show, which pleased audience members immensely.

He spit quite a few rhymes from Wu-Tang favorites like "Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin To F--- Wit" and "Triumph," and the crowd went wild.

While not all of the artists were at Cappadonna’s level, the entire night was fun and well worth the trip.