REVIEW: “Best believe it’s gotta be the best show of the motherf…ing tour, right?”
By now, the man himself needs no introduction – with 14 Grammys under his belt, albums already regarded as classics, and frequently regarded as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) rapper of his time, Kendrick Lamar exists in the same league as his heroes.
His six-month-long Big Steppers Tour, accompanying his seventh album Mr Morale and The Big Steppers, came to a head at Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday night, leaving Kiwis lucky enough to catch the final stop.
The show is something of a miniature festival – the first act of the night is up-and-comer Tanna Leone, who makes the task of opening for one of the world’s biggest superstars look like child’s play.
READ MORE:
* Kendrick Lamar spends free morning working out in Auckland, and meeting fans
* Kendrick Lamar delivers hit after hit to fiery Auckland ‘Australia’ fans
* Review: Kendrick Lamar, aka Kung-fu Kenny, lifts roof off Dunedin stadium
The Los Angeles native commands the attention of the arena immediately, drawing in roars from the crowd that would make a politician drool, an especially incredible feat for an artist with only a single album to his name.
Next comes Baby Keem, with a cool confidence of someone who can already boast skin in the game.
Clearly, the mentoring he’s received from his uncle Lamar has turned him into a force to be reckoned with.
Supplied
Kendrick Lamar’s concert was an odyssey through the rapper’s impressive catalogue.
The crowd goes wild – as they will many more times tonight – with Baby Keem as he enchants with a performance so seriously impressive, you wonder if super stardom runs in the family.
When Lamar finally takes the stage – the essence of suave in a suit, orange tinted sunglasses, and one glove, à la Michael Jackson – he’s playing piano beside a flurry of his dancers, easing the crowd in before throwing them into a nearly two-hour long tour de force.
The concert is an odyssey through the rapper’s impressive catalogue, including beloved hits from his breakout record good kid, M.A.A.D City and his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly.
Supplied
Lamar was the essence of suave on stage, appearing in a suit with orange tinted sunglasses and one glove, à la Michael Jackson.
He manages to fit in 20-something odd songs by performing shorter versions of his classics, including Swimming Pools (Drank) and Backseat Freestyle – enough to satisfy the crowd, but still teasingly short.
After releasing his first album over a decade ago, Lamar has one of the greatest catalogues, not only in rap, but in music as a whole.
From the pain of Father Time to the braggadocio of HUMBLE, Lamar delivered through and through across earliest hits and recent favourites.
For the majority of the show, every single person in the arena is on their feet – in the stalls, the movement and noise is so strong the wood almost seems to crack.
After an hour and a half of performing, Baby Keem rejoins Lamar onstage for a few of their collaborations, bringing out cheer-inducing pyrotechnics and a playfulness in both artists.
As the show wraps up, fans are treated to a rarely-seen side of Lamar – he breaks away from his stage character, speaking earnestly of the gratitude he feels for the fans who have waited five years to see him again.
Supplied
For the majority of the show, every single person in the arena was on their feet.
He’s joined by his openers and dancers, the whole team seeming to stare out to the crowd in amazement, every single person in the arena hyper aware of the incredible circumstances of life.
“This is one of my favourite records off Mr Morale, in fact it’s the last song I recorded,” he revealed, before performing Saviour.
Earlier, when Tanna Leonne had re-entered to the same roar that had greeted him three hours beforehand, to take his bows to the crowd, Lamar said he was“the motherf…ing future of music, man”.
A future that will remember Lamar as one of the untouchable greats.
Discussion about this post