Grey skies, rain clouds and cold temperatures weren’t enough to keep fans of Wiz Khalifa’s Under The Influence Tour away from Toronto’s Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.

The venue was packed with people who came to see artists like DJ Drama, Mack Wilds, Ty Dolla $ign, IAMSU!, Rich Homie Quan, Young Jeezy, and of course, Khalifa himself. As the rain came down and the smoke clouds went up, it was clear that music wasn’t the only thing people were under the influence of. If you missed the event here are some highlights from the night:

Drama on the mic
DJ Drama not only kicked off the night, but also doubled as a host for the majority of the evening, spinning between sets. His ability to get the crowd on its feet and excited for each performance really set the tone for the evening. Drama was a great hype machine for the show and kept the audience engaged by calling people out who were going buck wild in the crowd.

Man of the hour
With some of the hottest songs out right now, Ty Dolla $ign gave a really solid and energetic performance. The crowd loved his set and the ladies in the venue got really excited for “Or Nah”, while the fellas were throwing their hands up to his club banger “Paranoid”.

All the way from the Bay
The Bay Area was well represented when IAMSU! hit the stage in fine form. From the moment he gave love to Toronto by saying it felt like home, the audience was on his side for each song. Performing songs like “I Love My Squad”, “Who Booty” and “Act Right” IAMSU! had all the fans on their feet. The standout moment from the performance was the shout out given to friend Sage the Gemini, who was scheduled to be on the bill, but had issues crossing the border. As an ode to Sage, he performed his homie’s popular song “Gas Pedal” to a cheering crowd.

One of the best
From the moment Jeezy stepped on stage wearing his Toronto Blue Jays’ fitted with Toronto spelled out on it, he owned it. By far the best performance of the night, and he only scratched the surface of his material. Performing songs like “Lose My Mind”, “SupaFreak”, “Put On”, “I Luv It”, “Go Getta” and “R.I.P.”, the Atlanta-based rapper brought the heat and even had the people in the lawn section going crazy in rain. While taking a minute to talk to his fans, Jeezy mentioned to everyone to keep dreaming no matter what the odds are as he proceeded to perform “Soul Survivor”. His set may have received the loudest ovation of the night.

Drake is everywhere!
Wiz Khalifa may have been the headliner, but when you bring Drake out in his hometown, the crowd goes bananas. Even with Khalifa’s rock star persona equipped with a full band and golden microphone, the surprise performance by Drake was the best part of his set. As the lights dimmed, after Khalifa’s verse on the track “23”, the song “Trophies” began to play to the roar of the crowd and Drake emerged. The two artists shared a moment on stage as Drake performed his hit song “Started From The Bottom”.

Turn Down For What?
The entire night felt like being inside of a massive club filled with smokers and drinkers. The atmosphere and energy levels were incredible from start to finish as each artist came out and presented some of their party anthems. There was no time to sit down and catch your breath, as it was one high-octane performance after another. Like every year so far, the Under The Influence Tour didn’t disappoint. With so many good acts this year, one can only imagine what’s next?

Words By. Patrick Dennis Jr. + Photos By. Fitzroy Facey

Patrick Dennis Jr., also known as PDJ, is a product of the era of limitless potential. Born and raised in Toronto, his diverse interests and talents are reflections of his city’s exposure to all things eclectic and new. Graduating with a degree in media studies from Toronto’s University of Guelph-Humber, Patrick brings with him skills vital to content creators in today’s digital era. A communications and public relations specialist, freelance writer, consultant, event host, podcast creator, broadcaster, and online journalist, he represents a new generation of versatile media professionals capable of doing it all.

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