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As Heineken’s Red Star Soul concert series hit Manhattan’s Gotham Hall on Friday (October 16), a packed house gathered for free beer and performances from a star-studded line up. With Ludacris headlining, others scheduled to take the stage for the NYC stop on the nine-city tour including Wale, Estelle, Biz Markie and D-Nice.

Wale helped kick off the show with performances of “Chillin,’” “Mirrors,” and “World Tour” off his upcoming Attention: Deficit, due out November 10. Biz Markie followed, both DJing and performing his 1989 hit turned Heineken commercial soundtrack, “Just A Friend,” as all in attendance sang along.

The treat of the evening was provided by Luda, surprising everyone by bringing out Nas for his verse on “I Do it for Hip Hop” [Watch below]. Crowd energy grew through the hometown MC’s appearance, as the Queens native went into early career standouts “NY State of Mind,” “The World Is Yours,” and “If I Ruled the World,” as well as the more recent “Made You Look”—aided by a verse from the ATL wordsmith. The rest of Luda’s set included an array of hits, from “Southern Hospitality,” “Stand Up” and “One More Drink,” to his verses on the remixes of “I’m So Hood” and “Pop Champagne.”

Previous performers at stops across the country during this year’s annual invitation-only event have included Big Boi, T-Pain, and Mickey Factz. The tour’s final stop will come November 13 in Miami. –Adam Fleischer

[video:http://www.xxlmag.com/uploads/video/files/10.19.09_luda-feat-nas.flv l]

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