It was a reunion of Nineties hip-hop heavyweights Saturday as Ja Rule, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Jadakiss and Lil’ Cease took to the stage at DJ Cassidy’s first-ever “Pass the Mic”Live event that closed the 2022 Pegasus World Cup horse racing in Miami.
Cassidy took to the turntables in the newly opened Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park to play a few of his favorite hits. “Pass the Mic”YouTube seriesFor the first time, in front of an audience live.
At Ma$e, the crowd is surprised @DJCassidy’s #PassTheMicLive event to close out @PegasusWorldCup. Cassidy’s popular “Pass the Mic”The first YouTube series was made IRL. Each artist was shown on a customized stage as their songs started to play. pic.twitter.com/C4FjffMWre
— Tim Chan (@mrtimchan) January 30, 2022
Mase was the first to take to the stage. He appeared on the screen behind Cassidy, before Cassidy pulled away to reveal him. Mase was dressed in white slacks with a floral blazer, appropriate for the Miami horse race. Mase ran through a series of hits, including “Been Around the World,” “Feel So Good,” “Mo Money Mo Problems,”The Bad Boy remix of “Only You,” which had the crowd enthusiastically filling in on 112’s chorus.
Lil’ Kim hit the stage next, opening with her verse from Junior M.A.F.I.A’s “Get Money,”Before transitioning to “No Time.” Lil’ Cease then joined Kim on stage as they ran through a medley of hits, from Kim’s feature on 50 Cent’s “Magic Stick”To the crowd-pleasing “Not Tonight.”Kim even sang her verse from “Lady Marmalade,”Enjoy the 2001 Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
But it was Jadakiss’ surprise appearance that truly had the 3000+ guests inside Carousel Club rocking. Joined by Lil’ Cease and Kim, the trio performed “It’s All About the Benjamins,”Kim telling the crowd that it “felt so good”To be “back together with my brother.”Kim and Jadakiss were last seen performing together in the “The Last Dance” “East Coast Takeover”Tour, which was a series of dates last year (a comparable) “West Coast Takeover”Tours have a history Date in April).
Watch: @LilKimOut @Therealkiss @LilCeaseAt @DJCassidy’s #PassTheMicLive Event at @PegasusWorldCupMiami pic.twitter.com/s1bIG7Ay9F
— Tim Chan (@mrtimchan) January 30, 2022
Ja Rule was also performing that night, as well as El DeBarge (a surprise guest), who performed a group encore of his music. “Rhythm of The Night.”
Saturday’s concert was held as the finale event for the Pegasus World Cup, one of the premiere thoroughbred horse races in the country. The event has seen previous performers such as Nelly, Mark Ronson, T.Pain, and Post Malone.
The event was produced and organized by 1/ST EXPERIENCE (part of The Stronach Group, a tech, entertainment, and development company). Belinda Stronach is the CEO and President of the company. She stated that it was her goal for music, entertainment, and horse racing to be combined in a way that appeals to both long-standing fans and new ones.
“We wanted to attract new fans and curate an experience that was compelling and relevant, where people can go, ‘Hey, instead of going to the basketball game today, let me go try something else,’” Stronach explains. “And so we started out with that and looked at what other offerings we could add to horse racing.”
DJ Cassidy was inspired by a long-standing friendship between Cassidy, Jimmy Vargas, and 1/ST EXPERIENCE CEO. “I’ve probably booked Cassidy for the past 20 years,” Vargas explains. “He’s a really creative, unique individual and has the type of energy that I like to bring to something like Pegasus. And so I said, ‘Why don’t we try to create the first live version of ‘Pass the Mic?’ And Cassidy was like, ‘OK, I’m intrigued.’”
Vargas said that entertainment is a key part of the new horse racing experience. “good food and good cocktails” are also important (Saturday’s event included food from The h.wood Group’s supper club, Delilah; a Davidoff cigar lounge; and free-flowing Whispering Angel rosé garden along the track). “We never want to do something where you just kind of sit here watching a concert because it’s not meant to be a concert. It’s meant to be infused into the race and part of the experience,” Vargas explains.
Adds Stronach: “I think there is a greater appreciation and recognition now, that horse racing, if done right right, is really valuable content that can sit alongside other sports content and entertainment content.”
Representatives state that the race was attended by more than 16,000 spectators. They travelled through Gulfstream in Hallandale Beach to witness the event which brought in $43.8 million worth of wagers. “Life Is Good”The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational was won by the premier race of the day, and took home the cheque. “Colonel Liam”The Pegasus World Cup Turf Inviteal was won and a $1,000,000 purse was awarded.