EVENT PICS: Best of Both Worlds - Fantasia & Rickey Smiley

If you weren't at the CenturyTel Center Saturday night (9/20), you missed it. For once, an event lived up to its name --

"The Best of Both Worlds" featured American Idol Fantasia (Barrino) and Comedy giant turned radio host Rickey Smiley ... and both acts put on a hell of a show.

The stage was set. I made it to the venue just in time for the show to begin.

With help from opening acts like Urban Mystic (that boy can SANG) and comedian Special K (above), some 4,000 SBC residents were treated to a spectacular evening.

Urban Mystic serenades a young lady

Then, after the opening acts (and some words from Bay Bay, who helped host the event), Rickey Smiley hit the stage ... Dancing his butt off to his intro music -- "Whatever You Like" (by T.I.) ... You would think he was in the club .. lol.


He started the show by saying hello to everyone, then called out all the BGLOs (Rickey's an Omega for those living under a rock).

I shouted with my sorors and then he proceeded to call all the fraternities. Surprisingly there was a lone member of Iota Phi Theta who showed us ALL out by calling out louder than all of us! (lol).

Smiley's show included a cornecopia of comedy ... with jokes about roaches, Section 8 housing, government cheese, Black grandmas, old folks misusing technology, Little league and special ed cheerleaders. He even cracked on a few people in the floor seats.

But it wasn't all comedy ...

When the keyboard provided for Rickey was giving off an echo, he started verbally attacking the concert promoters (I don't think he realized one of them was from the radio station that airs his morning show) for "half assin'" and doing "nigga shit." (All this in front of a crowd that included children).

He also admitted to going off on them backstage because his set-up wasn't right and the sound check was 3 hours after the time he was told.

His rants prompted one of Fantasia's sound technicians to come and fix the keyboard so Rickey could finish the show he'd planned for the crowd.

At the keyboard he did his church hymns, even making fun of White churches ... plus he played a few old school songs for us to sing to.

After that part of the show was over, Rickey got up and noticed someone recording the show ...

He mentioned that he worked hard on his jokes and no one was going to sell his show or post him on You-Tube so he asked for the lighting guys to pull up all the house lights ...

He then ordered security to go to the back row and take a woman's video camera from her. I never actually saw the CAMERA being taken but they were over there for a while.

After the madness, Rickey took us through a pre-recorded mix of old school music that had us all out of our seats. He even got down in the crowd and cut a step with some of the event-goers:

After Rickey left the stage, there was a brief intermission (i.e. 30 minutes to go pee, get a margarita ... and some nachos).

When the lights dimmed down again, Rickey introduced the next act -- Fantasia.

Fantasia ran -- yes RAN -- onto the stage. Sporting her famous mohawk cut (with purple trim) and some very tight pants.

About 30 seconds later, she came out of her boots (with help from a personal assistant) and start hopping the length of the stage barefoot. I was dying laughing ...

She said her feet hurt ... and told us if ours hurt, we should take our shoes off too.

I honestly can't remember every song she sang. I do remember her singing a few old school songs, including Purple Rain (where cell phones were lit up and hands were waving ... like the movie -- but with technology instead of lighters) ...

She also sang "Free Yourself" after hinting about her alleged break-up with rapper Young Dro (saying "y'all know what I'm talking about ... cuz y'all are nosy") ... and then she pulled one of the few single brothaz onstage to serenade him with "You're Always On My Mind."

Let me just say ... Fanny can SANG. Her show was high-energy ... The girl got DOWN! If you closed your eyes, you'd swear you were listening to the CD ... and she danced around like there was a live band behind her instead of a pre-recorded track.

She performed like Patti (barefoot and all), talked like Tina, and sang her soul out like Aretha. It was an AMAZING show.


It was even cute when Rickey Smiley kept creeping back on stage to mess with her. You can tell they have a good friendship (they've performed together quite often). And she ended the show by thanking everyone for voting for her (I know I did so you're welcome girl!).


I didn't pay for my ticket, but it still would have been worth it if I did ... So thank you promoters and KBTT for making one Saturday in my life, one to remember ...



- m