Promoter Udoto backs ‘Jay Z of South’ T.I.’s Albany show

ALBANY — Gilbert Udoto wears his love for Albany on his sleeve. While others around him look to find fault with the city, Udoto, a native of Kenya, looks for the good.

That’s one of the primary reasons Udoto agreed to lend his name and support to Friday’s Southwest Georgia Summer Jam, which will bring hip-hop superstar — and Georgia native — T.I. to the Albany Civic Center.

“So many people say ‘Why can’t we have big events in Albany?’” Udoto said Friday. “Well, here you are. It doesn’t get much bigger than T.I. He’s the King of the South, the Jay Z of the South. This guy is a megastar. He’s huge. He’s been in movies with people like Denzell Washington, and he has his own show on VH-1 (the reality show “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle”). And all generations of music fans love his music.

“So, Albany, there is something big going on here. And it will go on. There’s no worry about him cancelling as others have in the past. He’s been paid in full. He’ll be here.”

With hits like “Bring ‘Em Out,” “Give Your Life” (with Rihanna), “Dead and Gone” (with Justin Timberlake), “No Mediocre” (with Iggy Azalea), “About That Money” (with Young Thug) and “New National Anthem” (with Skyler Grey) familiar to music fans; six Top 5 albums (of 10 released), and appearances in movies such as “American Gangster,” “Get Hard,” “Entourage” and “Ant-Man,” Clifford “T.I.” Harris has become the ultimate pop culture multi-hyphenate. He is the consummate singer-songwriter-actor-producer-product spokesman-businessman superstar, moving nimbly from one project to the next.

Albany native Darion “Smoke” Crawford of influential local hip-hop stars Field Mob, Street Boyz and local rock/rap favorites Unbreakable Bloodline will join T.I. for Friday’s Summer Jam. Doors at the Civic Center will open at 6:30 p.m. Music starts at 7:30.

“Here’s the thing: You don’t have to go to Atlanta or New York to see a big show,” Udoto said. “We’ve got one going on right here in Albany. T.I. recently packed 4,000 people into a club. He sold out Macon, Savannah and New York venues. He’s going to bring his followers down here from Atlanta. We want to show them that we know how to throw a party in Albany.

“We haven’t had a show of this magnitude here in a while. This is one of those events where when the kids go back to school and talk about what they did over the summer, they can say, ‘I went to see T.I. at the Albany Civic Center.’”

Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets or locally at Athletes Foot, Odyssey Records, Executive Cars, or Adore Beauty and Braiding. They’re also available at the Civic Center box office.

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