concert review | Bushido – The return of Berlin’s rap king
dpa/HPAlbert
Audio: rbb24 Inforadio | 03/22/24 | Lennart Garbes | Bild: dpa/HPAlbert Download (mp3, 4 MB)
If it was recently about Bushido, then it was about the dispute with Arafat Abou-Chaker. On Thursday Bushido was in Berlin for a different reason: at the start of what was supposed to be his last big tour. It was a triumphant home game in a family circle. By Lennart Garbes
Actually, it would be completely understandable if Bushido and its fans had to get used to each other again. It’s been eight years since the musician, who grew up in Tempelhof, was last on stage. Bushido no longer even lives in Berlin, but has been living in Dubai with his family for a year and a half. But there is no time for strangers this evening. Even before the first song, the Bushido chants echo through the sold-out arena at Ostbahnhof.
The sneaker-wearing part of Berlin gives its lost son a royal reception in keeping with the tour name “King Forever”. From the first song onwards, the hall stands on its head, swinging their arms synchronously from top to bottom and singing along to every line of “When we come” at the top of their lungs – as if it were 2004 again.
Happy reunion everywhere
And Bushido also starts off in a black T-shirt and black trousers as if he had never been away. He is accompanied by his label colleague Animus and DJ Marvin. There are a total of four huge vertical video screens around the three, on which either music video snippets or live recordings from the arena can be shown. Because the entire concert will also be streamed on rtl+, announces Bushido, who can hardly stop grinning at the beginning of the concert – the joy of seeing each other again is too great on all sides.
When it turns out that Alina, who volunteers from the audience to sing “Sunbed Flavor” instead of Bushido, was also on stage at Huxley’s last concert in 2016, it almost seems as if she was here The sentimentality was turned a little extra for the live broadcast. But Bushido also seems genuinely surprised at the reunion. The last time Alina was just 15 years old. After the joint singing performance there is a selfie.
Then it goes on, but there’s still enough time to chat between hits like “From the Skyline to the Curb Back” and “Everything will be fine.” Sometimes it’s about DJ Marvin’s hometown (Halle), sometimes it’s about the different parts of the city; from which the Berlin audience comes. The various stops on the upcoming tour will also be discussed, probably more for the streaming viewers than for the people in the arena. And then it’s always about how happy Bushido is to be back in Berlin, even with his family.
Bushido sees himself as a reformed family man – four children on stage
In stark contrast to his overly harsh, homophobic and misogynistic gangster rap lyrics, Bushido says he has been since then After a dispute with ex-business partner Arafat Abou-Chaker, the musician and his family were only able to spend their last years in Berlin under police protection and became a reformed family man.
So it doesn’t seem so surprising that after a two-hour concert, Bushido only brings four of his eight children on stage for the telenovela-worthy climax and then also his wife Anna-Maria.
The 14,000 fans in the arena also make a lot of noise for the family show at the end. Afterwards, Bushido thanks the audience for their loyalty, even in the hard times, before everyone sways together emotionally to the Karel Gott Alphaville cover “Forever Young” after the evening. Even the toughest people sometimes need a little family warmth.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, March 22, 24, 6:54 a.m