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Audio By Carbonatix
The Boys 4 Life Tour didn’t just feed starving millennial music fans Saturday night at Dickies Arena; it reminded them what a full meal actually looks like.
The tour, headlined by Bow Wow and B2K, celebrated more than just reunions and the early-2000s R&B and hip-hop that shaped them. It honored the camaraderie of a deep roster of artists hitting the road together, a spirit of community that defined an era.
The show marked three significant milestones: over 20 years since headliners B2K and Bow Wow first shared a stage during 2002’s Scream Tour II, B2K’s 25th anniversary as a group, and Bow Wow’s 25-year anniversary in the music industry. Adding a stacked lineup of Amerie, Yung Joc, B5, Crime Mob, Dem Franchise Boyz, Waka Flocka and Pretty Ricky was the exclamation point that made the night feel like a time machine of music. Jeremih, who was included in the lineup when it was initially announced, had to step back due to ongoing health concerns.
The concert began a few minutes early, which actually relieved us when we realized each set would start on time.
It was ladies first, as Amerie, the only solo woman performer on the bill, kicked off the trip down memory lane. Throughout her set, she moved through hits like “Talkin’ to Me,” “Why Don’t We Fall In Love,” her feature in LL Cool J’s “Paradise,” and of course, ended with the Grammy-nominated crowd favorite, “1 Thing.”
Next up, Yung Joc, dressed in a purple sweatsuit, followed his hype men on stage, jumping his set off with “Do Ya Bad.” Instantly charging up the energy in the arena, he ran it back to his Bad Boy South era, another branch of Bad Boy Records, performing hits like “Knock It Out” and a few of his classic features on early aughts tracks like “Beep,” “Get Like Me” and “Buy You A Drank.” The Georgia native incorporated his son, who was also on stage, into the show with a 50 push-up challenge that led to their shirts being removed. He surprised everyone by keeping the 2000s momentum going, bringing out fellow Atlanta rapper and frequent collaborator Lil Scrappy. The Love & Hip Hop co-stars cranked the atmosphere up a notch with the latter’s beloved 2004 single, “No Problem.”
B5, the five-brother R&B group of heartthrobs formerly signed to Bad Boy Records in 2001, hit the stage next. As the ensemble’s name flashed on the Jumbotron, the crowd’s screams seemed uncontrollable. They glided onstage in black outfits, looking like a slick, uniformed boy band, reminiscent of the era they grew up in. Surely we weren’t the only ones wondering, “How did time pass so quickly?” because the group’s voices, choreography and precision on stage still radiated with the energy of their early days as they sang “Say Yes,” “U Got Me” and “Hydrolics.” They closed out with “All I Do,” which could be heard from lovers in every direction surrounding us.
ATL in FTW
Then Atlanta took over. Crime Mob set the tone the moment Princess and her dancers sauntered onstage in denim cowgirl fits, commanding the room before a single note had even dropped. What followed was a masterclass in Southern showmanship. Club jumpers like “Stilettos” and “Rock Ya Hips” rattled with echoes as the crowd stepped up to handle Diamond’s verses themselves. As expected, a “Knuck If You Buck” finale sent the building into full chaos when the dancers strapped on red inflatable boxing gloves. Princess never broke a sweat, even as her stamina and footwork said everything the mic didn’t have to.
Dem Franchize Boyz didn’t wait for the smoke to clear. They rolled right in as Atlanta stayed planted on that stage, and the energy didn’t dip for a second. White tees sailed into the crowd, a Monica beat drop landed like a bomb, and the hand motions and dips that defined a generation of Southern swagger were all the way back. By the time “Swag Surfin'” ignited into a “Superman” to “Snap Ya Fingers” to “Lean Wit It Rock Wit It” dance break, Dickies Arena was the most nostalgic it had been all night.
Waka Flocka didn’t need an introduction. “Hard in the Paint” came in like a warning shot, “O Let’s Do It” and “Grove St. Party” kept the floor moving, and by the time his set arrived at “No Hands,” the crowd was rapping Wale’s verse loud enough to make you wonder if the D.C. lyricist himself was in the building.
Almost instantly, as Pretty Ricky’s name echoed through the speakers, the audience erupted, with women jumping to their feet and the energy in the building shifting entirely. Three of the four members, Pleasure P, Spectacular and Baby Blue rose from beneath the stage draped in red, and the show that followed was exactly what the reputation promised. “On the Hotline,” “My Body Your Body” and “Playhouse” had the crowd locked in, but it was Spectacular who kept stealing the moment — winding his waist under the red lights like the clock hadn’t moved since 2005. “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” turned into a full sing-along. By the time Pleasure P stepped forward for his solo run through “Beat It Up,” “Boyfriend #2” and “Did You Wrong,” the group had the room exactly where they wanted it. “Grind with Me” closed things out the only way Pretty Ricky knows how — Spectacular, wrapped in a towel, giving lap dances and throwing the towel into the crowd.
The Boys Are Back
Soon enough, Bow Wow emerged from a cage center stage with a Beware of Dog sign on it, dressed in overalls, Timbs and a sleeveless tee printed with a Rottweiler. Standout tracks, such as “Bounce with Me,” “Where My Dogs At,” “Ghetto Girls” and “Basketball” came early as he grinned wide while watching the audience rap every word back at him. A “Harlem shake” moment during “Lil Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” had the floor vibrating, and when Dem Franchize Boyz rejoined him for “Oh I Think They Like Me,” Atlanta and Fort Worth briefly became the same city.
The feature parade of Bow Wow’s set was generous: a Destiny’s Child “Jumpin’ Jumpin'” interlude, Mike Jones stepping out for hits like “Still Tippin'” and “I’m a Flirt”, and even the Chris Brown-featured “Shortie Like Mine” had the crowd singing along without missing a beat. “Like You,” his 2005 Collab with Ciara, brought a different kind of aura, activating those warm feelings of a childhood crush. Soon enough, flames shot up and red lights flooded the stage for “Fresh Az I’m Iz,” which felt like a proper closing statement. Bow Wow walked back into the cage, told the crowd it was just the beginning, and disappeared to “Thank You” playing softly.
The anticipation that had been building all night finally had nowhere left to go as B2K took the stage in neon green, black and white biker fits. “Uh Huh” opened the set, giving full You Got Served energy; “Girlfriend” came with a dance break that pulled every classic move out of storage; and when dancers carried microphone stands onstage for “Gots Ta Be,” the group sang it like they had something to prove. Each member was highlighted with their own time on stage. Raz-B broke into a Michael Jackson tribute, while J-Boog’s dancers recreated the robot scene from You Got Served with the kind of precision that made the crowd cheer. Lil Fizz kept things personal as he rapped a remix of two songs while sporting a North Texas basketball jersey, repping UNT for his cousin, who attends the school.
Omarion, the group member with the most commercially successful solo career, kicked off his run with “Post to Be” and rocked a bedazzled turquoise jacket for “O,” that, as you probably could have guessed, didn’t survive the performance. He then pulled the group back onstage for “Touch” and soon after, Bow Wow returned for “Hold You Down,” bringing along his daughter, Shai. “Icebox” closed the solo chapter before B2K returned one final time, wearing burgundy leather outfits with red jewels, roses in hand for “Why I Love You,” “What a Girl Wants” and their iconic “Bump, Bump, Bump.”
The lights came up at 11:26 p.m. After nearly three and a half hours and nine acts, every fan walked out exactly what the night promised — fed.
