All good things must come to an end, but for rap groups, the end maybe an invitation for a reunion. Artists are notoriously known for having egos, which can leads to rifts in their organization. Unfortunately, fans are left out in the cold, grasping for any unreleased material, begging for reconciliation, and anxiously waiting to see their favorite performers on stage together one more time.
Luckily, time heals all. As the years pass by, regret begins to build, while the dust collects on all of the markers of past success, rappers and singers come to acknowledge their prior mistakes—often caused by stress and ego. At this point, artists reach out to one another to bury the hatchet. And what follows, is the fulfillment of the dreams of fans everywhere: Reunion Concerts or Tours.
Hip-Hop and R&B has seen a surge in the number of reunion concerts as of late. From the turbulent A Tribe Called Quest reconciliation in 2004, to Ma$e and Diddy sharing the stage at this year’s OVO Fest, great artists have found some common ground to remind scores of people why they were famous to begin with.
It’s hard to be unhappy while all of this is taking place. So in celebration of this harmonious mood, the Source has compiled a list of our favorite reunion concert moments. Some are sure to surprise you.
Busta Rhymes Brings Out Leaders of the New School-Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 2012
Leaders of the New School were a pioneering rap group formed in 1989. They are most famous for their insane feature on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario”, which also served to introduce the world to Busta Rhymes. Their debut album—A Future Without A Past—is considered a classic in many circles. Unfortunately, the group—which also included members Charlie Brown and Dinco D—succumbed to infighting and jealousy, straining their relationship to the point that they disbanded five years after they began.
From 1996-2011, the group rarely collaborated and were barely seen together, let alone performing together. However, when Busta Rhymes was invited to the Brooklyn Hip Hop festival, the group reconvened. For the first time in a long time, LONS was on stage together, performing some of their biggest hits. It was a magical moment, and one that fans were not expecting.
