In the summer of 2000, the landscape of popular music shifted. While boy bands and nu-metal dominated the radio waves, a convoy of luxury buses and 18-wheelers rolled across North America, unleashing a thunderous roar that would redefine what a rap concert could be. It wasn't just a concert; it was a coronation.
Did you attend the Up In Smoke Tour in 2000? Share your memories in the comments below. For more deep dives into classic hip-hop visuals and tours, subscribe to our newsletter. Up In Smoke Tour 2000 - med Dr dre- snoop dog- ...
Before this, major acts like The Rolling Stones or U2 did massive stadium tours. Rap was seen as "dangerous" for big venues. The Up In Smoke Tour proved that hip-hop could not only fill arenas but could command the same stage production budget as rock legends. In the summer of 2000, the landscape of
The tour solidified the image of Dr. Dre as the cigar-smoking kingpin, Snoop as the reggae-infused philosopher of funk, and Eminem as the angry white kid who deserved the throne. Did you attend the Up In Smoke Tour in 2000
By: Legacy of the West
For those who missed it, the Up in Smoke Tour DVD became a holy relic. Filmed in high quality, it allowed fans worldwide to see the chemistry between Dre, Snoop, and Em. Watching the "med" sessions on the tour bus (where legends freestyled for hours) became required viewing for aspiring rappers. Conclusion: A High Never Replicated There have been bigger tours ( Watch the Throne ) and longer ones ( Drake & Future ), but there has never been a more essential rap tour than the Up In Smoke Tour 2000 . It was the victory lap for Death Row’s legacy, the launchpad for Shady Records, and the final flourish of the West Coast G-Funk era before the South (Lil Wayne, T.I.) and the Midwest (Kanye) changed the sound again.