Since its inception in 2020, the Black Promoters Collective (BPC) has been doing its part to ensure that R&B stays at the forefront. One of their latest ventures, The Love Hard Tour featuring Keyshia Cole, Trey Songz, Jaheim and K. Michelle, has been a highly anticipated event since its announcement this past December. The tour made its way to the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore recently and the talented lineup was very well received by the approximately eight thousand loyal R&B enthusiasts in attendance.
The show began at 8 p.m. on the dot with K. Michelle gracing the stage first. She appeared on stage accompanied by her two female dancers and dressed in an alluring ping latex ensemble, which matched her pink hair. K. got straight to it in her limited time and kicked her set off with a throwback, the no holds barred “Pay My Bills” from her 2013 debut Rebellious Soul. She followed that up with her popular single “The Rain,” which features a sample of New Edition’s classic “Can You Stand The Rain.” She also performed “Cry,” her latest hit song “Scooch” from her most recent album I’m The Problem and the classic “V.S.O.P.” before wrapping up her set.
It has been a while since Jaheim has been seen or heard from and his signature voice has been missed, but he didn’t miss a beat on stage. Joined by his band and six dancers, he performed several hits from his impressive catalog, much to the delight of the appreciative crowd. Jaheim dressed casually in black jeans, a white tee shirt and a black, red and silver hat bedazzled with rhinestones and sequins that lit up every time the lights hit him.
Jaheim started off his set with the 2010 banger “Ain’t Leavin Without You,” which set things off right. He proceeded to lead the willing crowd down memory lane with “Anything,” “Finding My Way Back,” “Fabulous” and “Put That Woman First” before wrapping up his approximately 45-minute set with “Just In Case.” Jaheim show love to a few women in the audience when he tossed out long-stem roses from both ends of the stage.
Up next was Trey Songz, and the ladies were more than ready for his set. He also boasts an impressive catalog of hits, and he spent his 70-minute set performing many of the crowd’s faves demonstrated by their energy level. He started off with “Gotta Go” from his 2005 debut I Gotta Make It then eased into the melodic “Can’t Help But Wait.”
Trey kept it mellow and gave the ladies what they came for with a string of ballads that included “Love Faces,” “Neighbors Know My Name,” “Can’t Be Friends” and “I Need A Girl.” He finished his set on an up-tempo note with “Say Aah” and “Bottoms Up.” Over the course of his performance, he played to the women in the audience and took off his jacket and shirt before ending his set by ripping his t-shirt off and throwing it into the crowd.
Although the show was approaching three hours long, the crowd still was anxiously awaiting the headliner, the legendary Keyshia Cole. Keyshia, her band and her dancers hit the stage close to 11 p.m. and immediately got the crowd energized with “Let It Go” from her album Just Like You. Adorned in a red, black and white cropped jacket, a shiny black corset over a bodysuit, fleshtone fishnets, thigh high black boots and Gucci shades, Cole was quite a sexy sight.
Next came “Last Night” before Keyshia slowed it down for a bit with “I Should Have Cheated” and “Enough Of No Love” before easing into one of her true classics “Heaven Sent.” The amped crowd was vibing hard with her at this point. Eventually she took a break to change and reappeared in a white ensemble topped off by a cowboy hat. She then went into the final portion of her 45-minute set with two more jams from The Way It Is, “Love, I Thought You Had My Back” and “You’ve Changed.” For her grand finale, she sang her most popular song which has been enjoying quite a resurgence on social media, the legendary ballad “Love.” Keyshia Cole graciously thanked the crowd for coming and all their support over the years before exiting the stage.
- Advertisement -With that, The Love Hard Tour stop in Baltimore came to a close. Keyshia Cole, Trey Songz, Jaheim and K. Michelle all charmed Charm City with their vocal talents and stage presence. If you live in or near one of the remaining cities on the tour, get your tickets now and get ready for a glorious night of R&B music.
