CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - Servicemembers stationed at Contingency Operation Base Speicher were treated to a night of entertainment by DJ Skribble and the hip-hop group Naughty by Nature, Nov. 8. The show was put on by the USO and was free for all.
The entertainers arrived about seven hours prior to the show and were given a tour of the Special Forces compound at COB Speicher. Because the Special Forces Soldiers were preparing for a mission the next day, Naughty by Nature decided to do a small impromptu show for them at the end of the tour. Using a cell phone to play the music tracks, the artists performed their hit songs "O.P.P." and "Hip Hop Hooray."
Every chance they got, the artists were posing for pictures with Soldiers and thanking them for their service. They said it was more of an honor for them to be able to perform for and support the Soldiers than it was for the Soldiers to get to meet them and see the show.
"It's been a wonderful thing. We know how much the troops do for us and how much they put their lives on the line. We just wanted to do something to show our appreciation," said Anthony "Treach" Criss, the lead rapper for Naughty by Nature. "Coming out for the troops has been an experience that you couldn't pay for. You wouldn't ever think in your whole life you would be out here having fun doing what you do, but being such a morale booster for the Soldiers because they are so far away from the regular world. For me, it was an honor and a pleasure; words cannot express how good I feel about being a part of this."
After taking some time to rest and relax after the SF tour, it was time to start the real party. DJ Skribble warmed up the crowd with his own unique style of "scratching" and mixing before Naughty by Nature took the stage.
After singing many of their own hit songs, some of their new tracks, and a few popular song from other artists that were "mixed-up" by DJ Skribble and their own disc jockey, DJ Kay Gee, Naughty by Nature ended their show in a way true to their past. For the performance of the last song "Hip Hop Hooray" as many of the servicemembers as would fit were invited on stage to assist with the performance and dance with the group.
After the show, the artists held a meet-and-greet session with all the fans in a Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation gym where all who wanted could get photos with the artists and autographed copies of the promotional flyer from the show.
"It was great; it was a lot of fun," said Sgt. 1st Class Amanda Cox, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear operations NCO with 3rd Infantry Division. "It gave Soldiers a chance to relax and enjoy themselves."
For the servicemembers at COB Speicher, the night was a chance to have some fun and enjoy performances by artists that some have been fans of since who were kids.
Social Sharing