Jay-Z Struggling Overseas???
Seems like Jay-Z is having some problems, as expected when performing in front of a crowd that doesn't know what your saying. Full Story, portion of the story:
"We relate to struggle --- we relate to y'all," he declared, only to be met with confused indifference. It was a constant motif: Throughout Jay's 90-minute set, the star and his island fans seemed unable to surmount certain cultural barriers. Frequently he would call for responses that never came, and then, in true showman style, pretend to find the crowd's tepid cheers awe-inspiring. Such are the growing pains that come with taking one's brand international. "
"The scene at Taipei Arena suggested that locals had absorbed the aspects that travel the most easily: the fashion and enthusiasm for weed, mostly. While the crowd throbbed during Jay's biggest international hits --"Big Pimpin'," Panjabi MC's "Beware of the Boys" --the show lacked energy. For much of the night, Jay and his profoundly mediocre sidekick Memphis Bleek seemed satisfied going through the motions and offering generic praise for their Taiwanese fans. Although the show never approached its history-in-the-making billing, it did make for a fascinating snapshot of a career in transition. Jay-Z has achieved iconic status stateside, yet internationally he probably is more famous as Beyonce's boyfriend."
"And the opening paragraph of several articles lamented the same
thing: that Beyonce never performed. Now that is real star power."
