Ludacris
Rocks White Hot Heat Road Rally
American Airlines Arena
Downtown Miami, FL
May 26, 2011
Review and Photos by Anthony Cave
Fast Five star and hip-hop legend, Ludacris, performed in front of thousands outside of the American Airlines Arena on May 26. The draw – not Ludacris himself, but a road rally hosted by the Miami Heat for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The arena used the massive flat screen (known as the media mesh) on the building to show the big game.
When you combine a Grammy-award winning artist and free admission, the result is almost always a good time. Ludacris had the white clad crowd swaying back and forth with hits “Stand Up” and “Move Bitch.” The Atlanta rapper mixed the set up with verses over Enrique Iglesias’ “Tonight,” Taio Cruz’s “Break Your Heart,” and the crowd favorite – DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.”
Hosted by T-Mobile, the cell phone provider set up a special VIP lounge at the concert for fans who owned a T-Mobile Sidekick 4G. VIP’s enjoyed plush seating and complimentary refreshments.
When you combine a Grammy-award winning artist and free admission, the result is almost always a good time.
Video cameras and cell phones of all makes were in full force as tweets from the social media world included stuff like “Ludacris just performed about 20 number one hits!” A closed-off Biscayne Boulevard made for a truly Miami performance, fans of the Heat and Luda set up lawn chairs all around the road and the stage.
Ludacris interacted with fans in the first row and even gave away a Chris Bosh Jersey. He also performed his hit song “Act A Fool” from the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, filmed in Downtown Miami.
Between the impromptu concert and the game, fans were free to roam the line of food trucks set up along Biscayne Boulevard. Almost all of Miami's hippest new gourmet food distributors made an appearance including Gastropod, Latin Burger, and Jefe's.
The combination of a concert, street fair, food trucks, and playoff basketball made for a "Ludacris" time. The main event, the Miami Heat, brought home a win in a spectacular comeback, securing their place in the NBA Finals. For the next game Heat fans will be inside the arena.
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