Seraphina Lotkhamnga on April 16th, 2012

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Who: Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on the main stage.
In 3 or Fewer Words: All-star show.
Memorable Because: There were rumors that Eminem would show up and that turned out to be true. But what most people didn’t know is that Dre and Snoop would be raising the dead, exactly one week after Easter. Thrilling and shocking fans, 2Pac made a special appearance. Although just a hologram (but a really solid hologram), all those people out there claiming the rapper had just been in hiding all this time can say they’ve seen him now … technically. Before dissipating into thin air, 2Pac stayed for “Hail Mary” and “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted. ” The entire set was bouncing with both old-school and new tunes like the entire festival were traveling in time together. Kicking off with “The Next Episode,” Dre demanded to know “Who’s smoking a motherf–king blunt with some chronic right now?” and Snoop wanted to see who’s been with them all along. “5 years? …  10 years?” After more guest appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent and a tribute to the late Nate Dogg, Dre’s line-edited “20 years we been makin’ rap tunes” (instead of 10) during “California Love” was beyond justified. Memories from the ’90s (and some 2000s) came flooding back to everyone thanks to the duo’s spectacularly fun headlining set. A true moment in Coachella history, and one that raises a fair question: What can next year’s rap headlining act possibly do to top that?
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Missed Some Of It Because They Were Still At AVICII: That’s so not gangster.
– S.L. (Concert photography by Scott Dudelson)