State Property give it their all at The Fillmore

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This past Sunday, Philadelphia’s 30-and-over hip-hop fans got their entire life when the legendary State Property took to the stage of The Fillmore.

The show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Unfortunately, no rappers hopped on the stage until closer to 10. In that almost two-hour span, there was a DJ to keep the energy high. An impromptu twerk contest also added to these efforts.

The first people to take to the stage were Ms. Jade and Nina Ross. In the early 2000s, both ladies were some of the most well-known women in the city’s rap scene. Ms. Jade ended up getting a taste of international fame after working with Missy Elliot and Timbaland. In recent years, Jade and Ross teamed up to create the supergroup, Thelma and Louise. The duo performed a handful of tracks from their most recent collaborative project At Your Own Risk.

After a short intermission, Freeway appeared unannounced to the stage rapping over Nas’ “Oochiewally” instrumental, and the crowd roared. This freestyle was followed by a smattering of Freeway’s underground classics. Many of these songs were lesser-known and did not receive that much radio play in the aughts,  but that did not stop the audience from fervently screaming along. It was refreshing to witness older generations get about excited about music that they grew up to.

The audience kept that same energy the entire night. It was maintained through Beanie Sigel’s performance of “Gotta Have it” and the Young Guns performance of “No Better Love.” Of course, the State Property crew saved the best for last with “Flipside.” Once the beat dropped, a roar could be heard throughout the venue (I have been to hardcore shows that were quieter and calmer).

While this wasn’t a definitive “farewell concert,” in some ways, it did feel like the last hurrah for the State Property guys. It has been close to a decade, if not longer since they last performed together. Many of them are well into their 40 and are focused on raising families. Some, like Freeway, have been battling health problems for years. Who knows the next time the gang will be back together, but thankfully, we got to enjoy them, at least one more time.