When Chainz says, “Givenchy, n- God bless you,” he sneezes his way through the luxury brand’s pronunciation. He opened the concert with a verse from “All Me,” a Drake song on which he features. His sense of humor may read as pure silliness, but the trademark comedic timing stems from sharp intelligence simplified for the amusement of others. Through trial, error and years of close observation, 2 Chainz has evolved into the consummate entertainer. On Saturday, the Hibachi aficionado brought his act to the Fillmore Silver Spring, where he once again proved the importance of timing. As rap’s lanky jester, he has a penchant for crafting club anthems laden with hilariously off-kilter punch lines. But since switching his alias and embarking on a solo career in 2011, 2 Chainz has cemented himself as an unmistakable force. During the 2000s, back when he went by Tity Boi, he was half of Playaz Circle and part of Ludacris’s stable of artists. It’s hard for someone to blend in at 6 feet 5, but once upon a time, 2 Chainz (born Tauheed Epps) was just another face in the crowd.
Granted it took a name change and three phases to break through, but a little rebranding and a lot of charisma go a long way. The Atlanta rapper emphatically smashed the timetable for success by striking gold in his mid-30s and has spent the past five years basking in the radiance of this feat. The long game continues to pay off for 2 Chainz.