Hot 21 Radio

Following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Festival Metro Metro in Montreal returned with performances from Drake, Lil Baby, 50 Cent, Tory Lanez & more. Festival season is upon us. For Canadians, it’s been a long two-year stretch where attempts to “flatten the curve” became c...

Young Thug , Lil Baby, and Playboi Carti) has been rumored to be associated with alleged gangs that are under investigation. Thug and Gunna are the only ones whove faced charges due to allegations of violating the RICO Act. In the end, only one of the original festival headliners actually pulled through for their performance with Playboi Carti being replaced by 50 Cent just days before the show took place. It was widely accepted that Thug and Gunna wouldnt be making their way to the festival after the news of their arrest, though that placed the burden on the organizers back to find worthy replacements. And while some hoped that it would be Future, who headlined the festival alongside Cardi B in 2019, the alternatives turned out to be Trippie Redd and Tory Lanez. It was a slightly underwhelming replacement compared to Thug and Gunna whove had a strong grip on 2022. Still, Friday night set the tone for a weekend filled with high-energy performances. Artists like Torontos 3MFrench and Pengz set things off earlier in the day before Montreals hometown hero, Nate Husser, graced the stage. However, the moment Lil Pump hit the stage, it was time for the main attractions to thrive. After he elevated the crowds spirit with bangers like Eskettit and Gucci Gang, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie provided an excellent set that proved how influential he is. Even when he played deep cuts, like his hook on 6ix9ines KEKE, the crowd sang back each word back to him without losing momentum. Photos by CB (@cb43media)/HNHH Tory Lanez and Trippie Redd werent supposed to be performing in Montreal on Friday night but it was quite clear that even without Thug and Gunna, the city was ready to turn all the way up. Trippie closed out the night with a slew of fan favorites, including Dark Knight Dummo and Miss The Rage. However, it was Tory Lanezs set that felt the most significant. The rapper charged the stage for his first festival set in two-and-a-half years. Within the span of an hour, Tory delivered an impeccable set filled with bangers throughout his career, including deep cuts like Diego, which the crowd ate up. He walked on the crowd, stage dived, and made sure that his presence was felt, literally. Whatever narrative thats chased Tory Lanez down on Twitter since he was accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion clearly did not stand in Montreal on Friday night. Photos by CB (@cb43media)/HNHH Photos by CB (@cb43media)/HNHH By the time Tory Lanez left the stage, there were rumblings that Drake had touched down in the city. Though no one confirmed that he would be Lil Babys special guest, it seemed like an inevitable outcome. However, day two seemed a bit shakier than the day prior, even with an anticipated surprise appearance from The Boy. There was significant congestion at every entry point. The VIP section, for example, was packed as a result of overselling VIP packages, according to security on-site, making wait times to enter the festival site unbearable for some. Whats worse is that between sets from Polo G and Don Toliver, Eminem was forced on the crowd. Not even bangers by Eminem but songs like Walk On Water and an acapella version of Guilty Conscience. It really makes you wonder who is responsible for this event. Despite the shift in energy, Lil Baby made up for whatever missteps that happened prior. The bass rattled the festival grounds as he ripped through bangers, like My Dawg, We Paid, Sum 2 Prove, Woah, and even recent cuts like In A Minute. CB (@cb43media)/HNHH At this point, Lil Baby has a collection of Drake collaborations to rely on. Songs like Yes Indeed continue to slap, even if its just to hear Baby rap, Wah, Wah, Wah/ Bitch, Im Lil Baby. Drake didnt appear for that but Read more