Mansfield, MA is no stranger to Summer Jam, but the show at the Xfinity Center yesterday hotsed by Boston’s JAM’N 94.5 was once again a testament as to why large-scale Hip-Hop shows are extremely important for our area. The venue shaking performances by Fab, Fat Joe & Remy Ma along with the energetic showcases from Lil Dicky and Ty Dolla $ign are more than a haven for underage drinking and lawn section brawls. It isn’t just a ticket bought off stub hub, or a 2 hour traffic jam, but it’s a place where people go to visualize their goals and envision their dreams.
We sometimes may get confused by a bill whose main acts go by “Lil Dicky” and “50 Cent”, but the journeys and stories behind a sold-out 20,000 person performance is far from foolish and juvenile. The misconception of rap/hip-hop overlooks the influence and inspiration provided by artists and many might not understand the spark illuminated from a Summer Jam stage, but that mic and speaker system is what drives young visionaries who fight and fiend over the chance to impact culture through respected creativity.
From seeing fans praise radio personalities like Money Mav and DJ E DUBBLE for keeping them uplifted through long years of difficulty, to seeing a paralyzed woman in a wheel chair smile to the booming vibrancy of Fetty Wap, the impact of music on our culture is beautiful. I strongly encourage people to study the next concert they attend, and if that event happens to be year from now at Summer Jam 2017, bathe in that experience.