Some legendary concerts and panels went down at this year’s Canadian Music Week, but the festivities also spilled over to the club, as hip-hop legend Jermaine Dupri hit up Cinema as a guest DJ last Saturday night.
Walking into the relatively new club located in Toronto’s upscale Liberty Village, it would have been hard to believe that the renowned JD would be in the building as the first few hours, the warm-up DJ spun electronic and top 40 tracks. It seemed to be a high class, high-heeled affair, where private bottle popping celebrations were happening in all the small booths around the parameter of the dark club. One group went as big as to pop the top on a Texas Mickey of Grey Goose, quite evidentially enjoying itself.
It was so crowded that it was hard to even dance to the bangers the ATL CEO spun.
By 1 a.m., the venue was packed and the dance floor was full of intoxicated patrons waving neon flashing glow sticks, having the time of their lives. Just then, a bald shiny head that could barely be seen over the top of the DJ booth appeared, which one could only assume was Mr. Dupri.
He threw on Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” and stood up with his arms in the air as the crowd screamed. Cinema became a zoo as the females made their way close to the DJ stand, the camera flashes adding to the light show from the electric neon booth. It was so crowded that it was hard to even dance to the bangers the ATL CEO spun. Not that the tracks were anything spectacular, as JD played the same recent club hits that can be heard during any local clubbing night out such as, Juicy J’s “Bandz A Make Her Dance” and Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like”. For such a legend, it would have been nice to hear the classic hits from his glory days in addition to the one or two Hov tracks he actually did spin.
Those in attendance didn’t seem to mind at all though, as they danced into the early morning.
Words By. Samantha O’Connor + Photos By. Fitzroy Facey