Sean Price in Toronto

Duck Down Music and Good Friday Entertainment presented American emcee Sean Price in concert at the legendary El Mocambo as part of his Mic Tyson tour to promote P’s latest album.

As a surprising twist, the show started promptly at 10 p.m. to a large crowd, a rare trait of most T. Dot hip-hop shows, which could only mean one thing — a bill stacked with openers.

From dub-step duo Only Childs to lyrical emcees Suspect to hip-hop trio Notes To Self, each opener brought a unique vibe to a wide variety of hip-hop heads who came out to turn the show into a jam. Booths were set up throughout the venue where artists and their entourages popped bottles.

Toronto’s east side emcee Shampain brought out a heavy pack of supporters who turned up, drinks in hand, chanting along with the braided rapper’s hood bangers. The vibe was raw and street, an environment rarely attained at hip-hop shows nowadays, due to the usual pack of security, but it was refreshing. It was not a show for hipsters or skaters.

Hip-hop crew THC, known as The Head Crack crew, took over the stage and at the stroke of midnight, threw blunts into the crowd in celebration of the stoner holiday 4/20 and performed its weed anthem “Everyday 4/20”. The whole venue couldn’t help but engage with the energy from the full stage of emcees, intoxicated by the smoke and the heavy bass and snares from their heavy beats.

Toronto rap OG Fortunato, who was previously a part of the hip-hop group Angerville performed solo. Out of protest, a tall man stood at the front of the stage with his back turned the emcee and his arms crossed. The emcee continued to spit nonetheless, stating, “I’ve been in this game a long time, that shit don’t phase me.”

By this time, the crowd was tired and annoyed at the waiting game, anxious for Sean Price to hit the stage. The night’s DJ attempted to entertain the crowd, spinning bangers from Pusha T and French Montana, but three hours of openers had left a bad taste with many.

P didn’t even enter the venue until 1:20 a.m. and like a diva, walked around the club first before even making his way to the stage. He began his show just before 1:30 a.m. performing tracks off his latest album Mic Tyson. Looking quite New York rocking a Yankees fitted, P performed tracks such as “Bar-Barian” and “Straight Music” to the diehard fans that made it till the end, but to many, three and a half hours and seven openers was something that not even a 4/20 spliff could make them forget.