VIDEO: Talib Kweli live at Rock the Bells

About three songs into the epic final set of this year's Rock the Bells - a dream-like materialization of the fanatically anticipated Nas and Damian Marley collabo project - the hot dog that I buried as a late-afternoon drinking base began to sneak up my esophagus. I made it from my seat to the exit aisle, where I projected a chunky wet stream of stomach ooze. Imagine Lardass from Stand by Me; a few ushers in my way even caught some of the shrapnel shooting through my fingers.

How did it come to this? I suppose my spiral redirected downwards around the time an acquaintance passed me a Percocet during Necro (I had a headache, and, at the time, was unaware that they sell Tylenol in the rest room). I was cool before that; watching K'Naan inside, and Eyedea - who looks a lot like Jason Schwartzman these days - on the outside Paid Dues stage, I had the ideal chemical crossfire charging my system. Even during Psycho Realm's pounding set - and through most of Necro (who rocked despite having laryngitis) - I felt well enough to nod my head. But after that I faded.