The job of a journalist at a concert is to do one thing: summarize the experience in a truthful, pleasing way for the reader.
Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Ciara and Timbaland make that seemingly simple task genuinely difficult when you see them live.
On Friday, Aug. 9, the Hip-Hop icons took turns taking the stage as part of their ongoing ‘Out Of This World Tour’ at Newark’s historic Prudential Center and were so entertaining that taking notes was likely the last thing on anyone in the building’s mind.
All we wanted to do was dance like it was 2004 to “Lose Control,” “Pass The Dutch,” “Break Ya F—— Neck,” “Goodies,” “Cry Me A River” and so many more hits over the show’s mammoth four-hour runtime.
Thankfully, this journalist took time in between unimpeachable bangers to hunker down and jot down some thoughts about the quartet of early-aughts headliners.
So, with that being said, let’s put our things down, flip it and reverse it.
It’s officially time to “Work It.”
Timbaland
At approximately 7 p.m., the lights went down at the home of the New Jersey Devils and the 52-year-old super producer sauntered onstage decked out in a camo vest.
With that, the ‘Out Of This World’ party began.
For those not familiar with Timbaland’s deep catalog, he quickly reminded us of the many bops he brought to the radio these past few decades. Omnipresent hits “Drop,” “Drunk In Love,” “Big Pimpin’” and “Promiscuous” set the tone. From there, Timbaland refused to let up over the course of his energetic 30-minute set. Sure, his larger than life collaborators — Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Nelly Furtado to name just a few — weren’t there but they’re not necessary when such a force of nature is onstage.
To close his half-hour hit parade, Timbaland got everyone in the building on their feet with his call and response take on Ginuwine’s sultry “Pony” followed by a medley of Justin Timberlake songs he produced.
Then, as he was wrapping things up, Timbaland delivered a Shyamalan-level twist ending.
“I wanna give it up for my son,” he beamed, pointing to the DJ. The two took selfies together and exited, having set a high bar for the night.
25% of the show was over and we couldn’t wait to see what was next.
Timbaland set list
Drop (Timbaland & Magoo song)
Say Something
One in a Million (Aaliyah cover)
Drunk in Love (Beyoncé cover)
N—- What, N—- Who (JAY‐Z cover)
Big Pimpin’ (JAY‐Z cover)
Promiscuous (Nelly Furtado cover)
Give It to Me
Luv 2 Luv U (Timbaland & Magoo cover)
Try Again (Aaliyah cover)
Carry Out
I’ll Be Around (CeeLo Green cover)
The Way I Are
Are U That Somebody? (Aaliyah cover)
Ayo Technology (50 Cent cover)
Pony (Ginuwine cover)
Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake cover)
My Love (Justin Timberlake cover)
Outro with Son (Selfies of crowd with his son)
Ciara
Although Timbaland performed in front of a downward-sloping ramp, he didn’t make much use of the unique staging.
Ciara did, though.
Her elaborate 40-minute set — which felt more veteran headliner than feature act — was just as much about dynamic choreographed dance moves as it was the music. Simply put, she has not lost a “1, 2 Step.”
To kick things off, sirens blared and a robotic voice sounded. The message was clear to all: Buckle up. An ambitious show is about to take place.
The gifted singer, in a skintight, chrome red ensemble, slinked down the platform to her mega hit “Goodies” along with her similarly dressed backup dancers. Everyone in the building roared. This was the move of a seasoned performer — starting a show with one of your most well-known songs is the ultimate flex.
Indisputable classics followed. Remember “Get Up?” How about “Oh?” These earworms were everywhere in 2006 and never left our brains (case in point: my friend whispered to me “I was just looking for this song” midway through “Oh”). Seeing them performed live seductively only further cements their place within the collective unconscious.
Rather than coast on nostalgia, Ciara gave her everything onstage (yes, she still gets low). Each memorable tune was accompanied by intricate choreography, elevating this hit parade into a full-on dance party.
To close the 15-song performance, Ciara delivered her three biggest hits: “Like A Boy,” “One, Two Step” and “Level Up.”
They all sounded just as good as they did on CD (or iTunes) back in the day.
Yes, starting with a major hit like “Goodies” is a huge swing for any artist to take but Ciara knocked this dance-heavy show out of the park with ease. We can’t wait to see what she does next.
Ciara set list
Goodies
Get Up
Oh
Wind it Up
Ride
Body Party
Promise
Run It Up
I Bet
So What (Field Mob cover)
Drop Your Love
How We Roll
Like a Boy
1, 2 Step
Level Up
Busta Rhymes
In between each performer, there was a 20-minute intermission. Once the lights went out on Ciara’s show, crew members broke down her set. Audience members left their seats and wandered to bathrooms. Others sat and scrolled. Some did their best to chat over the noise.
But once Busta Rhymes appeared, all eyes were on him.
Flaunting a red cape, the iconic rapper ambled to center stage with his partner in crime Spliff Star and launched into the jaw-dropping jam “Ante Up” (which you may remember from countless movies, TV shows and commercials).
Within moments, everyone in the building was on their feet jumping up and down. The energy had officially been dialed up to 11.
Unlike the other performers on the bill, Busta luxuriated in improvisatory moments that can’t be replicated. Although his lyrical precision is unmatched (he’s certainly in the conversation for greatest rapper of all time), he took time to goof off with Spliff and deliver a set that felt less polished, more playground, less serious, more showman.
Sure, there were moments where his furious flow shined — “Make It Clap” “Never Leave You” and “I Know What You Want” come to mind — but what made Busta’s set so memorable was when he pretended his mic didn’t work, walked in a silly way with Spliff and told the slightly older crowd “it’s too early for this tired lookin’ s—.”
Simply put, the man puts on a grade A comedy show and a concert all wrapped into one.
That being said, his cover of Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now” where he spits so fast all you can do is sit back and marvel might have been the highlight of the whole evening. No theatrics, no graphics, just one man rapping at a speed you’ve never seen before and likely never will see again.
When all was said and done, Busta and Spliff popped champagne bottles all over the first few rows.
This was the perfect capper to a truly madcap mini-concert.
Our only complaint? It was incredibly difficult to take notes while having so much fun.
Busta Rhymes set list
Ante Up (Remix) (M.O.P. cover)
Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
Make It Clap
Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh) (Lumidee cover)
I Know What You Want
What’s It Gonna Be?!
Scenario (A Tribe Called Quest cover)
Look at Me Now (Chris Brown cover)
10pm in Miami (featuring Busta’s son Trillian Wood-Smith)
Break Ya Neck
Pass the Courvoisier
Missy Elliott
Finally, the evening’s entree.
After a nearly three-hour (!) assault of the senses, the performer we all came to see was about to finally show us why we made the trek to Newark.
Of course, Missy — the first female rapper ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — didn’t disappoint.
Her set was essentially intergalactic Christmas.
Before entering, a larger-than-life image of Elliott appeared on a massive screen. A robo voice told the crowd “as we get ready for takeoff, please make sure your lace fronts are fastened. We are expecting some turbulence as we pass Planet Sock It To Ya and Planet Lose Control.”
With that, the 53-year-old rap icon descended onto the stage in a Tron-like outfit and the crowd’s wristbands started going wild flashing red and white lights. It was now time to get our freak on.
“Misdemeanor” launched into her 2019 joint “Throw It Back” and we were off. For the next 75 minutes, Missy transported the sold-out Prudential Center to a nonstop retro-futuristic ‘Out Of This World’ trip that likely had all audience members questioning their career choices — if everyone else was like me, they probably want to become dancers now, too.
Still, that generous paragraph doesn’t do this innovative concert justice.
What separates a Missy show from your average production are the glossy left-field visuals. Rather than stick to jumpsuits and tights, Missy and her dancers changed into raincoats following a “Singin’ In The Rain” sample that bled into “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”, then they bounced on yoga balls. Later, a military-style ropes course accompanied “Get Ur Freak On.” At one point, Elliott was riding a roomba-like device across the stage. Yes, really.
You heard it here first: this show had a club atmosphere and the feel of a goofy, visually spectacular multi-million dollar avant-garde film.
Missy clearly wears her influences on her sleeve — sci-fi films, musicals, circus ringleaders — and melds them all together into what she called “the Met Gala of outer space.”
This was truly organized, large scale chaos.
And, while the whole concert was a meticulously-planned, uncompromising vision, the evening’s undeniable highlight was Missy’s fire 2003 track “Gossip Folks.” She literally elevated her on-point vocal performance by gliding above the crowd in a rectangular platform. As she rapped over booming horns and playful percussion, the message was clear– you could talk behind Elliott’s back but nothing could bring her down.
At this point, it was becoming more and more difficult to find the time to document this unbelievably joyous and cathartic experience. How could anyone be bothered to write when the dancers are breaking (maybe better than those at the Olympics), Elliott is effortlessly delivering “Get Ur Freak On,” and “Work It” and the place is going crazy?
It’s impossible.
Cynicism melts away and turns into joy. Time to give up and bask in the fun.
To close the high-octane set — after she’d breathlessly run through the crowd and delivered the endlessly catchy “Pass That Dutch” — Missy brought her three openers up to pay homage to her collaborations with each of them.
First, she went into “Up Jumps Da Boogie” with Timbaland from the 1997 album “Welcome To Our World.” Then, it was Busta time. The gifted rappers traded verses on the Hip-Hop classic “Touch It.” Finally, Missy and Ciara connected on the dance-y head bopper “Lose Control.”
This family finale was the perfect ending to a truly ‘Out Of This World’ trip.
Then, just like that, Missy disappeared in a haze of smoke.
My friend frowned. “No encore?” he asked. I shook my head. “There’s no encore necessary when you leave the planet.”
Final verdict: It’s hard to argue with four headliners for the price of one. Each artist fully delivered a show that catered to their unique sensibilities, each larger in scale and scope the last.
If you’re a fan of any of Missy, Busta, Ciara or Timbaland, make sure to catch this show while it’s still on planet Earth.
Just don’t try to write while you’re there.
Missy Elliott set list
Throw It Back
Cool Off
We Run This
4 My People
Sock It 2 Me
I’m Really Hot
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
I’m Better
“She’s a B—-“
Gossip Folks
All n My Grill
Get Ur Freak On
Lick Shots
One Minute Man
Hot Boyz
Beep Me 911
DripDemeanor
Pussycat
Bad Man (feat. Vybz Kartel & M.I.A. cover)
Ching-A-Ling
WTF (Where They From) (Missy Elliott feat. Pharrell Williams cover)
Work It
Pass That Dutch
Oops (Oh My) (with Tweet)
Up Jumps Da Boogie (Timbaland & Magoo cover) (with Timbaland)
Touch It (Busta Rhymes cover) (with Busta Rhymes)
Lose Control (Missy Elliott feat. Ciara & Fatman Scoop cover) (with Ciara)
Missy Elliott tour schedule 2024
The ‘Out Of This World Tour’ is on its final leg — here’s where Missy and co. are headed before wrapping things up this year.
About the Prudential Center
Located in the heart of Newark, the Prudential Center — which was recently voted one of Billboard’s top five buildings in the world — is home to the NHL’s own New Jersey Devils and also doubles as a live entertainment venue that hosts Hip-Hop, rock, country, reggaeton, punk, K-Pop, UFC and comedy shows on the regular.
Over the next few months, fans can catch the Devils as well as Kacey Musgraves (Sept. 9), Twenty One Pilots (Sept. 17), Jo Koy (Sept. 20), Kirk Franklin (Oct. 3) and Maxwell with Jazmine Sullivan (Oct. 6).
Plus, Justin Timberlake will swing by on Oct. 8.
Then, the following night, Billie Eilish drops by for one night only as part of her ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour.’
Never been to Newark?
If that’s the case, we recommend taking New Jersey Transit to the immaculate, intimate yet epic venue. New Yorkers will start their journey at Penn Station (make sure to find a Northeast Corridor train!) and exit at Newark Penn. Once there, you’ll walk a little over a quarter mile to the Prudential Center. Just make sure to give yourself a bit of extra time to familiarize yourself with the area because you’ll have to navigate to the Newark Penn Station on the way back, too.
Once you’re inside the Prudential Center, you’ll find beautiful murals paying tribute to the Devils and merchants peddling mouthwatering smashburgers, ice cream and pretzels. Make sure to grab a bite to eat– Prudential’s grub is top-notch.
Now all that’s left is to locate your seat.
Have an usher show you the way, sit back and enjoy your favorite artist at the cavernous, historic Prudential Center. There’s no better place to do so.
Want to go to a show but don’t know who else is coming to Newark these next few months?
Take a look at the Prudential Center’s complete 2024-25 calendar here.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
