On June 27, 2000, Radio City Music Hall hosted one of the most iconic concerts of the early 2000s, featuring N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, and Eminem as part of the “Up In Smoke” tour, an unprecedented collaboration showcasing West Coast hip-hop’s legends with a Detroit powerhouse. Led by Dr. Dre, this show brought together legends like Ice Cube, MC Ren, Snoop Dogg, and newcomer Eminem, blending nostalgia with contemporary energy as they performed classic tracks such as “Straight Outta Compton,” “Nothin’ but a G Thang,” and “Forgot About Dre”​.

The Radio City performance was electrifying, with Dre and Snoop revisiting the essence of 90s rap culture while Eminem’s presence added a raw, edgy appeal. Highlights included Eminem’s fiery rendition of “Forgot About Dre,” which punctuated his dynamic entrance into the rap scene, showing his ability to hold his own alongside rap veterans​. The tour as a whole not only showcased these artists’ classics but also emphasized the storytelling aspect of hip-hop, marking it as a definitive experience in both live rap performances and multimedia staging.

The show at Radio City symbolized more than just a concert; it was a historic melding of two eras of rap that would go on to shape hip-hop’s trajectory. It solidified the bond between the West Coast and the emerging Detroit sound through powerful, collaborative performances that are still celebrated today.