Will Smith makes joyous homecoming at Philadelphia Live 8 show

Received by Newsfinder from APJul 2, 2005 16:26 Eastern Time * Editors Note UPDATES throughout with more performances * Photo Advisory Y By JAKE COYLEAssociated Press WriterPHILADELPHIA (AP) _ The U.S. edition of the global Live 8 extravaganza turned into the Will Smith Show, featuring the return of the Fresh Prince to his old home town. After British rockers the Kaiser Chiefs kicked things off Saturday with their hit “I Predict a Riot,” Smith took the stage to begin hosting duties before a sun-drenched crowd stretching a mile down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. “Right now you’re watching the biggest concert event in the history of the world,” Smith said. Pleading for leaders of the G-8 summit to “end this daily tragedy” of African poverty, Smith was beamed around the world by satellite as he led the global audience in snapping their fingers every three seconds, signifying the child death rate in Africa. “Today, we are here to declare our interdependence,” said Smith in the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed. “Today we hold this truth to be self-evident: We are all in this together.” Later, the rapper-turned-movie star returned for the most theatrical performance of the day. He was carried onto the stage on a throne, with women spreading rose petals in his path. The theme from “Rocky” played just yards from the steps that Sylvester Stallone famously climbed in “Rocky.” That segued into a repeated sample of “the champ is here!” line that Smith delivered in the movie “Ali.” Smith then introduced his old sidekick, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and they performed “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” before launching down memory lane with the theme from Smith’s early ’90s sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and his classic hit “Summertime.” If the London Live 8 show was all about rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop lived in Philly. Kanye West performed “Jesus Walks” in front of an all-female string section outfitted in black skirts and dark stripe-like masks over their eyes. He delivered some of the harshest words of the day, lamenting “politicians who drive home in their Bentleys every night and watch thousands of Africans die.” Backstage, he told The Associated Press, “I’m not into politics, I’m into people. I know that these people are dying. My people. This is an event that will go down in history.” Earlier, the Black Eyed Peas took the stage with their usual energy and frenetic weaving, performing “Let’s Get it Started in Here.” The rap group also pulled out a Bob Marley classic as they sang with obvious symbolism, “Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight.” Dave Matthews, who hails from South Africa, began his band’s performance by thanking organizer Bob Geldof “for throwing a party to make a better world.” Also in attendance were celebrities ranging from the Rev. Al Sharpton to Anna Nicole Smith, plus performers Alicia Keys, Destiny’s Child and Toby Keith, Def Leppard, Keith Urban, Jay-Z, Maroon 5, Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan and finally Stevie Wonder. Fans stormed down the parkway as early as 6 a.m. and pressed as far forward as possible, but only those closest to the front were able to see the stage. The less fortunate were treated to giant screen broadcasts of the concert, along with clips from the other cities. Organizers and performers said as many as one million fans were there, but that was impossible to verify and seemed overblown, with about 200,000 seeming more accurate. Police declined to provide an estimate. Bon Jovi performed “Living on a Prayer” after being introduced by actor Don Cheadle as hailing from “the most exotic of locales” _ New Jersey. “An amazing event,” Cheadle said backstage. “Hopefully it will light a fuse that will continue to go for years and years.” ___ Associated Press Writer Deborah Yao contributed to this report