Coachella 2013: 2 Chainz Attracts The Festival’s First Overflowing Crowd & Makes Everyone Wait (PHOTOS)

Carl Williott | April 14, 2013 11:40 am

Either the Coachella cabal vastly underestimated the draw of 2 Chainz by putting him in the Mojave tent and not on one of the main stages Saturday afternoon, or it was a savvy attempt to make a “legendary” festival moment, the sheer number of people clamoring to get a view becoming the story itself. The most crammed-in crowd happened to coincide with the hottest point of the weekend thus far, so when 2 Chainz showed up about 15 minutes late, the whole thing was on the precipice of disaster. But the partiers in Indio were quick to forgive forget, and once he emerged and broke out his stellar guest verses from “Mercy,” “Beez in the Trap” and “Bandz a Make Her Dance,” all was right.

The set was short, but it proved rap’s most dependable sidekick could carry his own shit. With just the help of a guitarist, drummer and DJ, his solo cuts had a lean freshness to them. Near the end of the set, he had the crowd in his hands and asked, “Is anyone celebrating a birthday right now?” Let’s just say based on the response, there were an inordinate amount of music fans born on April 13. After “Birthday Song,” 2 Chainz growled, “RIP to this motherfucking stage” before blasting through “I’m Different” as the whole crowd (in their different-but-the-same festival get-ups) joined in.

There’s just something undeniably appealing about 2 Chainz, which makes his raps transcend his technical skills as an MC, and it also makes you not hate him even though he only performed for about 25 minutes of a 45-minute slot. Based on the thousands who showed up and their unwillingness to riot after the late start, it seems the young kids don’t embrace any MC quite like they embrace 2 Chainz right now (ironic, considering he’s a hip-hop elder at age 35). And nobody in rap is more appreciative of the love and having more fun.

You know how people always say they want a president that they can just sit and have a beer with? 2 Chainz is that dude. So I guess that makes him the president of rap.