WEST SPRINGFIELD — It was double your pleasure for rap fans Saturday night as two legends of the genre, Busta Rhymes and Rick Ross, stormed into The Big E Arena, delivering performances that had the crowd reeling.
The concert, one of the first in The Big E’s entertainment lineup this year, drew fans young and old from across the region, eager to witness the hip-hop heavyweights share the stage.
The audience offered definite preferences on who they came to see, with the younger crowd tending to favor Ross.
“We came to see Rick Ross,” said Stevie Bonser, who was there with Priscilla Bonser, both of West Springfield. “It’s the voice; it’s just the voice!”
Others, like Alma Pablo and Tino Francisco, traveled from their home in Sandisfield to see Rhymes.
“I like Busta Rhymes,” Francisco said. “I remember him from when I was in high school.”
Fans were on their feet and waving their hands in the air as Rhymes, accompanied by fellow Flipmode Squad member Spliff Star, performed more than a dozen of his hits from the golden era of rap, including “What it is,” “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” “Make it clap,” “Touch it,” “Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check,” “Pass the Courvoisier, Part II,” “Break Ya Neck” and more.
Grammy-nominated Miami rapper Rick Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, wowed the crowd with his legendary deep voice as he rolled through hits like “Hustlin’,” “The Boss,” B.M.F (Blowin’ Money Fast), “Hustle Hard,” and “9 Piece,” to name a few.
But the hit that got the fans singing and dancing was Ross’ “Aston Martin Music,” which turned the arena into a celebration of Southern rap royalty.
Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor George Smith Jr., was fresh off his acceptance of the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards show last weekend.
Rhymes has 12 Grammy nominations, making him one of the most-nominated artists without a win. He has collaborated with Janet Jackson, Eminem, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey and The Pussycat Dolls.
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