Words & Photos by Diane DiMemmo

June 15, 2023

What better way to kick off the North To Shore Festival week in Asbury Park than with legendary hip-hop legends Eric B & Rakim at The Stone Pony! Flanked with a substantial entourage of friends and family, the pioneering duo entertained a packed house of awestruck fans who were giddy with excitement and energy.

Notwithstanding a few technical difficulties, emcee Peter Gunz warmed up the house with his entertaining humor and conversation. Then the evening began with local rising stars Alexander Simone and the WHODAT? Live Crew, who always know how to draw the crowd in and create intimate, soulful, passionate moments of heavenly music. As they worked their way through their set, they were also joined by performers Chill Smith, King Ramses and 10-year old Ryver Bey complimenting Simone’s smoky-rich vocals.

Next, Governor Phil Murphy – one of the driving forces behind the inaugural North To Shore Festival - introduced Eric B & Rakim. “You think about Eric B + Rakim’s four iconic albums and their reunion in 2016. These guys are dear friends of mine. They're extraordinary.”

Without hesitation, Eric B & Rakim jumped into their classics electrifying the already amped-up crowd. Dedicated, longtime fans sang every word to every song from the beginning of "Don't Sweat the Technique" to the closing epic "Paid in Full." Rakim called out and complimented various audience members for their knowledge of their music. “What makes you genuinely hip hop?” Rakim asked the crowd. And he smiled from ear to ear when someone yelled, “When you know all of the words!”

The performance was a night of celebration as well as a chance to dip your feet back into the groundbreaking musical hip-hop waters of the 80’s and 90’s. It was a feel-good night from start to finish. It was magical. It was legendary. It was extraordinarily special. It was Eric B + Rakim.

The North To Shore Festival continues in Asbury Park through Sunday, June 18th. In addition to many free shows, tickets to select Asbury concerts can be found at https://northtoshore.com/asbury-park/.  North To Shore’s final week of art, music, comedy, and film will be in Newark from June 21-25! Tickets to those events can be found at https://northtoshore.com/newark/.

Diane DiMemmo is the founder and editor of Asbury Park Vibes. In addition to overseeing the AP Vibes Music Mag and hosting the APV Podcast, she specializes in live music/portrait photography, copywriting, and artist development & management services.