Bun B's love for his hometown of Houston, Texas, is infectious, and anyone who attended his "All-American Takeover" concert at the 2024 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Tuesday night felt that first-hand.
The annual event started with the "H-Town Takeover" in 2022 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a popular festival that showcases Houston culture. To celebrate the event, Bun invited an incredible list of Houston heavy-hitters, such as Paul Wall, Slim Thug, and Lil Keke to perform on the grounds of NRG Park in the Bayou City. Bun recreated that magic the following year with the "Southern Takeover," sharing the stage with fellow Southerners like Erykah Badu, Juvenile, and Mannie Fresh.
For the third edition, the Houston legend went even bigger and called upon friends from all over to help him with the "All-American Takeover," which brought over 75,000 people to NRG Stadium. As Bun explained to Complex, the "All-American Takeover" wasn't an ordinary show as the list of performers included some of the most legendary names in hip-hop.
"It's big for me because I'm a local guy putting on a show for local people. It's not just another room for me," Bun said. "We have to put serious care and thought into everything we do when it comes to executing at the Rodeo. I'll be honest, I've never been to a show like this or been a part of a show like this, and I think it's going to be very hard for people to go and just attend the average music festival or concert here. This show was extremely well-curated."
He added, "So many platinum records, streams, and merch sales were on the stage tonight. These are some of the most influential members and exporters of the culture. We had them all on one stage tonight in a very short period doing exactly what they do to the best of their abilities in a room chock full of fucking people. It's ridiculous."
The 50-year-old told no lies as the event went off without a hitch and was masterfully curated, which concertgoers appreciated greatly in their conversations with one another. After an entertaining display of steer wrestling, bull riding, mutton bustin', and other rodeo events, Bun took center stage and kicked off the show with his solo anthem, "Draped Up," before inviting his rap peers to turn up the temperature with their respective hits.
E-40, Too Short, Nelly, Eve, the Ying Yang Twins, Rick Ross, and That Mexican OT delivered invigorating sets filled with hit records and boisterous cheers from fans. However, the main event is what blew the top off the stadium.
Days before the "All-American Takeover" kicked off, Bun announced that Drake would attend the Rodeo. The 6 God has a deep affinity for Houston, as he's made several songs about it and even has a home in the city. When he got the call, Drake knew he had to show up, even if he didn't know it was a full-blown concert.
According to Bun, Drake thought his "Uptown" collaborator was having a welcome home party. Once he knew the event was an actual show, he pulled all the stops to show his second home the ultimate sign of love with an eight-song set that included a marvelous fireworks display.
"It takes a lot for him to be who he is and do what he does in the space. We're very happy that the Rodeo allowed us to accommodate him to do what he needed to do here," said Bun. "Drake has done concerts here before, but Houston, ironically, is not a part of this tour that's happening right now."
He continued, "I can't say enough about The Boy. He's coming here on his own dime, spending extra money to try to increase the production value for his section of the show. All just to, you know, let people know that he's happy to be home."
If the sight of Drake wasn't enough, Bun surprised the crowd with a joint performance of Run-DMC's "Run's House" alongside DMC. To stamp the moment, Bun and DMC changed the lyrics to "Bun's House."
The Rodeo is also something that has helped the city get back on its feet after the Astroworld tragedy that claimed the lives of 10 people in 2021 right outside of NRG Stadium. Each year, people show up, and the Takeover concerts continue to help alleviate the emotions and pain that still linger from that tragic event.
"We all took an emotional toll due to what happened in Astroworld, and it wasn't lost on anyone, least of all the performers and entertainers of the city," said Bun. "It took a while for the city to collectively kind of really come to terms with what happened and try to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again."
He added, "This is not a common occurrence by any means for any genre of music, but we're comfortable presenting music to the masses on this scale again in Houston and I'm glad to be one of the people that's able do it. But I can't wait until we get to a point where everyone feels safe to go back and attend concerts in Houston again."
The Takeover concert series is something that Bun holds near and dear to his heart as it takes place in his hometown at a festival deeply embedded in the city's culture. For Bun, it's important for him to continue building on it so that future generations can see it and be a part of themselves.
"It's hard sometimes to really find the words for what the Rodeo means to me," says Bun. "The Rodeo was a thing for my parents, who got married in their teens and moved here. It was a thing for me. It was a thing for my children and grandchildren. We take it very seriously here in Houston, and for me to be able to do what I do on that stage, representing what I represent, is a huge deal and a significant cultural shift in this building."
The event was held in partnership with blended Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal. The liquor company is in its second year of partnering up with the Houston Rodeo, but this was the first time Bun worked directly with the company, which he said couldn't have gone any better.
"[Crown Royal] didn't just come here and try to sell liquor. They came here to celebrate culture," said Bun, and Crown Royal did just that. One of activation at the event featured a saloon where people got their cowboy hats reshaped, with each tip of the hat counting towards a charitable donation to Magpies and Peacocks, a nonprofit fashion house that works with sustainable clothing.
