The Millenium Tour 2025: Hot Pink Nivea, RSVP shows out and Boosie acts up.

As I walked into Little Caesars Arena for The Millennium Tour Detroit stop, the crowd was already buzzing. Omarion, Bow Wow, Plies, Nivea, Boosie and Rick Ross were set to hit the stage in a moment. I talked to a few concert goers to ask who they were excited to see and the women I spoke with each said, “RSVP”. I know how much Ray J, Sammie, Bobby Valentino and Pretty Ricky's Pleasure P means to the target audience for the show. But, I believe the audience was anxious to see how the recorded practice sessions would translate on stage. Would this thing really work?

First up was Nivea and she had the Detroit crowd in a chokehold with the hits, “Laundromat”, “Don't Mess with my Man” and “Complicated”. Draped in hot pink, Nivea connected with the crowd in a way that took me by surprise. It also made me realize there is no such thing as an old song. Her music has aged like fine wine in our minds. Nivea was perfectly placed at the top of the show's lineup to set the scene for what would be a nostalgic display of a beautiful era in music and culture.

And then there were the Ying Ying Twins. While Nivea curated a vibe filled with lyrics about relationships, love and loyalty, The Ying Yang Twins had one job. That was to remind the crowd of how much we could turn up. “Whistle While You Twerk” came on and the crowd was immediately lifted. I was taken back to the days when the duo had a lock and key on the radio and music video TV stations. D-Roc kept it cool and employed the universal two-step throughout the performance, occasionally engaging the concertgoers. Kaine was incredibly animated during the set, feeding off the crowd’s energy and throwing together a quick dance bit here and there to shake things up. The Ying Yang Twins understood the assignment and delivered well on expectations. 

At this point of the show, it was time for RSVP to take center stage. As the men danced to Ray J's “Sexy Can I” and Ray snatched off his mask to reveal himself to the audience, I knew good or bad, we were all in for a show. Each RSVP member had a turn in the spotlight with Ray J at the top, followed by Sammie, Bobby Valentino and then Pleasure P. I understand the allure of the group and how big their following must be individually. Some fans had complaints about Ray J's ability to steal the show with his antics, but that's an obvious part of his brand. When he disappeared from the stage and ended up hugging women in the crowd, it was a piece of the show that people will remember and appreciate. The steps weren't Temptations quality, but we have to remember this group hasn't been a “group” for long. I didn't expect perfection. I wanted to be time-transported and entertained. RSVP checked that box by the end. 

I had never been to a Boosie show before, so this was my first time seeing him perform. There was no doubt as to what song we would hear first. “Wipe Me Down” blared through the concert sound system and almost everyone in the building sang in unison, “I pull up at the club, V-I-P. Gas tank on E, but all drinks on me. Wipe me down!” That song is entrenched into hip-hop culture for eternity with “Independent” by Webbie which features Boosie right behind it. One thing I learned about the Louisiana rapper was how he can shake an arena. From getting all of us to swag surf mid show to mimicking an off the wall quote he made popular during 2020, the audience was glued. “Set It Off” made its way before Boosie said his goodbyes, but Detroit was left eager for what the rest of the show had to offer.

The two performers who left me jaw-dropped were Bow Wow and Plies. Plies was introduced after Boosie- just before Rick Ross- and I had not realized how many of his songs I was familiar with. Not to say that I questioned his artistry, but I've never considered myself a hardcore Plies fan. The fact is that he had enough songs and features on the radio where I was singing tracks word for word. His energy was great the entire time and he locked in with each part of the crowd. The same can be said about Bow Wow's performance of the night. 

Bow Wow came out hot. “Shorty Like Mine” was performed with an endless amount of energy to start his set. As I watched him jump from the left of the stage and footwork over to the right, I was genuinely impressed. Bow Wow is often overlooked as a legend in hip-hop. It's a perception that confuses me, because by the numbers and the cultural contribution he's achieved more than many of the rap artists with “motion” today. He has a catalogue that his fans enjoy and sing aloud whenever it's played. The Bow Wow effect was actively in the room that night with his classics and even a couple of cameos from Detroit rap artists Icewear Vezzo and Peezy, who performed the viral hit, “2 Million Up.” As he celebrated his birthday at the end of the show, it was nice to see him receive his flowers. Flowers that were earned.

Both Omarion and Trey Songz were the lover boys the women in the crowd wanted. During his time in the spotlight, Omarion showcased the versatility in his music within the creative direction of his stage time. We saw him don a black suit at the start, which segued into a bare-chested ensemble and shortly after a blue velour suit where he showed love to fellow Californian, Kendrick Lamar, as he danced to “Dodger Blue” and slipped “TV Off” into the middle of “Pose To Be.” 

How much you enjoy The Millennium Tour depends on your expectations as you enter the arena. The performances are meant to place you in a time capsule and transport your soul to a place of nostalgia. I laughed. I joked. I sang. It may not have been perfect, but it was still a time.