I was more than geeked to be in the presence of some of Chicago’s most elite rappers on Saturday night, November 26th at the John Walt Day Concert hosted by Pivot Gang! The concert happened at Metro Chicago, and the stadium was packed with fans from all sides of Chicago! This concert was a major success for not only the rappers, but the John Walt Foundation as well.
Every year, Chicago’s very own rap group Pivot Gang hosts an annual concert in honor of one of their honorable members, John Walt and DJ Squeak. Pivot Gang includes the following artists: Frsh Waters, Saba, Mfn Mello, Snacks, DAE DAE, and Joseph. Both members passed away within one year of each other by violence; Squeak being shot and John Walt being fatally stabbed. They were not known for violence, which made his passing a lot more difficult to bear for the community that surrounds them.
In remembrance of their passing and service to the community, the mother of John Walt teamed up with the leader of Pivot Gang, Saba to launch a non profit organization to give back to the community. The name of the non-profit organization is the John Walt Foundation. This organization is dedicated to youth Chicago creatives that that want to fulfill their dreams, find a career that suites them, and learned different ways to effectively give back to the community that serves you.
I had the honor of being involved with the John Walt Foundation this past summer in an apprenticeship program! I attended a lot of events that included so many Chicago creatives across the city. We set up for TIP Fest, which is a contest for youth creatives to perform, meet other creatives and entertainers, and gain experience as an artist. The organization also created different workshops where the apprentices had the chance to meet with people of their dream careers, and learn the steps to make it in their field. I have met so many amazing people including journalists, photographers, writers, graphic designers and so much more who did a multitude of different professional jobs that inspired me in so many ways!
I was invited to attend John Walt Day to be a part of the experience, and all I can say is … oh my goodness!!! The vibes there from start to finish were immaculate. The set up was amazing, having a high school stage setting, and Pivot Gang doing different acts while performing their amazing music. Their school stage presence was the perfect setting to match the energy of how Chicago kids listened to music in school, freestyle at lunchroom tables, and even kick it on school grounds trying to be cool.
Pivot Gang performed some of their most popular songs such as “Colbert” and “Soldier.” To see them cohesively interact and perform live was very exciting and energetic to say the least; lit to say the most!The crowd’s reaction to “Colbert” was a huge explosion of joy and pure excitement!
Saba lit up the stage performing some of his solo songs that sent the audience through the roof!! He performed one of his most popular songs “Photosynthesis” which made me personally feel so warm inside. He also performed his songs “ If I Had a Dollar,” “Calligraphy,” and “2012” which was a song where he mentioned some of his memories with John Walt and Squeaky. After each set, the crowd shouted #LONGLIVEJOHNWALT and #LONGLIVESQUEAKY in honor of their passing.
Not only did Pivot Gang have an amazing set planned for us, but they also bought some amazing guests that really touched the Chicago family. Saba bought out the only and only Smino (see … babyyyy) to perform one of his new songs “No L’s” from his new album ‘Luv 4 Rent.” It was so crazy to see Smino performing live, he sounds just as amazing in person as he does in his music. The crowd was ecstatic! I also had the honor of meeting Smino, and he is without a doubt a very kind and genuine person who’s vibe is above average.
To end the night out, Saba also brought out the man who, in his words, “jump started his career,” the one and only Chance the Rapper! He came out to his most successful song “No Problems” which sparked the room in hypeness. His energy and enthusiasm was so ecstatic and contagious, I found myself bouncing around just like him. He also performed “The Highs & The Lows” which was a very paramount performance for Chicagoians specifically. He was even shocked that the crowd knew that song word for word, making his performance even more sentimental.
John Walt Day was a huge success for Pivot Gang, and every other artist that touched the stage. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to work with the John Walt Foundation, and every opportunity that has come with it. This concert is so much more than a performance, it was a tribute to those we’ve lost, and a moment to bask in what we have also gained.
If you would like to hear more about Pivot Gang, check out their music here on Spotify!
About Post Author
