Mystikal, Juvenile Put the ‘Show’ in Showmanship

The Mystikal-and Juvenile-headlined concert Thursday at the Universal Amphitheatre may not have had much for the music purist, as there was not a single musical instrument on stage the entire night (the closest was a turntable for Juvenile’s set). But it did offer a lesson in showmanship, as well as some memorable moments from the New Orleans rappers.

The early part of the evening was dedicated to R&B; and the ladies, with the quartet Public Announcement and rising star Jahim showing off their respective moves. Public Announcement incorporated the entire venue into its performance, running through the aisles and bringing women from the audience on stage to dance.

Jahim also went for some sure-fire gimmicks, such as throwing roses into the crowd and bringing a little girl on stage to serenade. He needn’t have gone for the cheap pops though, as the women swooned for his serious love songs. And after some early misbegotten efforts to rap, he settled into a crooning groove.

Joined by eight to 10 people on stage, Juvenile got the party going, with danceable beats and a seamless delivery of his rhymes. Lost amid his flashy presentation was a surprisingly diverse musical style, as he tapped into reggae and Jamaican dancehall grooves with great success.

Playing such hits as “I Smell Smoke,” Mystikal worked the crowd like a natural with his dancing ability, humor and emcee style. But his most compelling moment came during the gritty “Murderer,” a personal song directed at the killer of his sister.

His gruff vocals taking on a furious tone as he screamed “murderer,” he revealed a deeper side to his music that will serve him well as he continues his rapid ascent to pop stardom.