Hate him or Love him, but Stanley Enow did put out a great show at the Canal Olympia in Douala on February 11 and here are what you need to know about the much anticipated, ‘Stanley vs Enow Tour’.
Just like almost every other musical concert in Cameroon, the ‘Stanley vs Enow Tour’ started a little late with a handful of audience but as the show slid into accommodating the faces of some well-known singers, the population grew in tens.
Here are some of the reasons why the concert was great!
Stage:
Can we just take a moment to bow down to the KING for lifting a phenomenal stage for his first ever solo concert in Cameroon? The kickoff to the ‘Stanley vs Enow Tour’ was on a giant stage, a well-lit platform and spacious enough for any performer to shine. As for the sound, the stage manager told us, “he wanted speakers which could express every string stroke, drum beat, and piano key pressed and mic sound… he wanted the sound to be perfect.” And PERFECT it was! What will a great music concert be without a well-equipped and perfect stage?
Live Band:
With a giant stage, came live music. Stanley vs Enow Tour was all live. After weeks of rehearsals it was only fair to find Stanley Enow performing all his hits with a live band. It was wonderful to listen to Cameroonian hip hop, pop and Afrobeat music live and watch the superstar own the stage with his energetic performances. His backup singers and dancers were just the best!
Performers:
From what we gathered, Stanley Enow was very concerned about the list of performers at his show. A source told us, the hip hop star needed real talents and artists who could rally their audience and put out a memorable show which wouldn’t just be good but be enjoyed by many people. He did well! From Meshi, Gomez, Kameni, Blaise B, Mr Leo, Magasco, LesLine, Mr Shine, Alves James, Tzy Panchak to Nollywood actress, Angela Okorie, everyone brought their A-Game – even if it was just on one song.
Power of the King Kong:
Stanley Enow’s entrance into the concert venue was nothing short of being music royalty. We were star struck! The star arrived in a neat black V8 Prado Full Option 2018, accompanied by another Prado V8 and an Audi Q7. He remained in the car for almost an hour before stepping out to use the loo [lol]. When he finally jumped on stage, it was amidst heavy security, busy photographers and screaming fans. If there was an aspiring artist watching his movement, we are so sure he/she would start taking his dreams very seriously.
Support Your Urban Music:
To Stanley, it was all about celebrating Cameroonian music, urban music. The music star made sure all but one performer was Cameroonian. The music played between performances was also Cameroonian. He unselfishly rallied big names like Mr Leo, Magasco, Tzy Panchak, Daphne, Alves James, Blaise B and so many talented fast rising acts to thrill the crowd. In fact, it was an all-Cameroonian affair. It was beautiful to know Cameroonian music could be played by DJs for close to eight hours non-stop for a Cameroonian crowd.
Mother/Son Moment:
Stanley made fans sing, scream and wishing they could just touch his hands but when he brought his lovely mother on stage and said what he said about her, many tears dripped. The rapper showed how vulnerable he could be when he attributed his well being and success to his mama. “She is the reason behind everything I do… I love you mama so much.” Mama Enow couldn’t hide her pride and joy for her son when she told the audience, “He is my gift… But I also know he is not only my son, he is our son. We should please support and love him. He is special.” Indeed, it was a special mother-son moment which needed to remind us to show love to our own mothers [or sons] even more.
Birthday Dinner:
Stanley didn’t just celebrate music at his concert, he also turned it into his birthday part-tay. His team decided to wish him a happy birthday on stage, at his own concert by bringing out a large vanilla chocolate cake for him to cut and share. Well, we didn’t get the chance to have a slice but we hear it tasted so good.
Samsung Gift Bags:
When you are the new brand ambassador for Samsung Cameroon, you have to tell your fans that you got them. The rapper gave out two Samsung Galaxy cell phones to two lucky fans at the concert who participated in a brief dance competition. He also, secretly added some cash prices into their gift bags. We didn’t know he would do that, but what we now know is that the rapper just confirmed the deal.
Fashion:
This show wouldn’t go without some fashion fix. Stanley rocked two amazing casual chic looks at his concert. First was an all-black oversized T-shirt and pants which he accessorized with a striking white pair of shades and white sneakers. For his second stage performance, he showed up in a two piece print ensemble and dark shades and nailed every single song. The rapper wasn’t the only one who rocked! Nollywood actress Angela Okorie went with a sparkling Gucci pant and a high thigh transparent boots beneath a big white shirt but her low cut blonde hairstyle caught the attention. Singer, Meshi went for an embellished silver blazer and high thigh boots while Mr Leo came in in a bright yellow ‘Pikin 4 Sun’ hoodie on Black pants. Magasco showed up in an all red sweats while Panchak arrived in his signature black look. Young singer, LesLine donned a custom Niki Heat pantsuit and the list goes on and one…
The Chalk Man:
Visual artist Kobe Williams also stole the night with his talent. Kobe was on stage as the event went on but he wasn’t there to sing. He was on stage, using chalk to draw the official cover art of the show live and do we need to say, he did a great job? He killed it!
LesLine:
One cannot talk about the ‘Stanley vs Enow Tour’ in Douala on 11 February without mentioning the name LESLINE! The one time The Voice Afrique contestant brought the stage down with a powerful rendition of her ‘My Way’ cover. In fact, so many people could be heard shouting “Halleluhah!” in the crowd and others couldn’t hold back tears as the singer belted the 2018 hit song from above her keyboard. She actually brought back life into the show with her performance. Although she was later joined by singer Mr Shine towards her performance, it was a LesLine take over and she owned it!
The ‘Stanley vs Enow Tour‘ began on a high note, debunking rumours and hate speeches about Stanley not being able to organise a solo concert in Cameroon where he claims he is King! He did it and did it in a grand style. It was all about celebrating Cameroonian music, local DJs, home based artists and art, in general.
There were moments where fans got tired and looked like they needed something better or strange to happen [like him throwing his shoes into the audience, performing his 2013 hit song ‘Hein Pere’ earlier or get a surprise Jovi or Fhish appearance] but the award winning hip hop artist consistently kept his fans energized by joining some of his guest artists on stage or hyping them in the background during their performance.
Stanley even ditched his entourage while making his way on stage to apologize to a foreign photographer who was brutally pushed out of the way by one of his bouncers.
All in all, it was a great start to an amazing tour for King Kong Stanley!
Check out our gallery below:
Wow wow. What a good write up Dcodedtv