How's the view up there Kenny?
Last month, Nielsen Music, which reports on statistical music consumption, announced that hip-hop is now the most popular music genre for the first time in U.S. history. At no place was this more apparent than Amalie Arena Friday night, when Compton rapper, visionary, lyricist, poet, and kung fu master (?) Kendrick Lamar graced the Tampa Bay Area with his presence.
The concepts of rap and mainstream music haven't always been coexisting ideas. A genre built on fighting the establishment and urban anguish of African-Americans isn't exactly minted for radio play. If it was, artists like Killer Mike would be platinum. But over the last decade this reality has shifted. It's no longer a genre in the background to mainstream pop and rock. It's just poetic justice that the champion and ambassador of this movement is none other than Kendrick Lamar.
Less than a week after being crowned at the VMAs with six "moon people" awards, the hype for Kendrick Lamar and his Tampa stop was really, really Real. This was the first Tampa appearance from the Compton prodigy since the Good Kid era in 2013, where he served as opener for Kanye West on the Yeezus tour. Four years later, things have changed a bit. Whereas 'Yeezus' has been ushered into hiding after a highly publicized mental breakdown, Lamar has become the champion of the people and the rap genre in general. He's turned rap into mainstream not by selling out, but in what is now a rare turn of events garnered widespread acclaim based on almost solely on artistic merit.
Over 13,000 people of every creed and color crowded in early to see this spectacle of a man, with openers YG and big baby D.R.A.M. dishing out opening duties. If your relief was in the bottom of a bottle, you were in for a challenge as people packed the halls and beer lines within Amalie.
The buzz was tangible in the air, and when the lights shut off the crowd erupted in anticipation. The show was opened with a trippy video of the "Legend of Kung Fu Kenny," a skit comprised mostly of Kendrick performing karate, a theme of the DAMN. tour despite only a few mentions on the actual album. After a glitchy glare from Kendrick on screen, the video abruptly ended and clip from Fox News that begins "DNA." began to play, cuing to the stage the best rapper alive today.
After an explosion of lights and fire, Kendrick Lamar appropriately exploded onto the stage. Decked in orange jumpsuit and black bandana, Kendrick found himself in his element, rapping alongside 13,000 plus to the fiery bars of DAMN.'s opening track "DNA." This would a reoccurring theme throughout a night where seldom there was a moment the crowd didn't know the word to every lyric.
Last time at Amalie, a clean cut Kendrick performed atop Kanye's mountain stage. For his turn as headliner, Kendrick's stage production went with the 'less is more' approach. With a giant LCD screen in the backdrop and floating above him, the stage production consisted mostly of lights and smoke machines running in coordination to its rap conductor. Fans chanting we want the funk, at least in terms of musicianship, were left dying of thirst, as Kendrick ditched the To Pimp a Butterfly era band in favor of a bare stage that acted like a playground for hip-hop's brightest star.
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While spewing adrenaline and good rap, Kendrick Lamar curated a greatest hits set for this Tampa stop. While the opening songs "DNA." and "ELEMENT." come from the inevitably Grammy-winning DAMN., his next six songs were an effort to play into the hype and excitement radiating from the crowd. This included material from the critically acclaimed good kid, m.a.a.d city ("Swimming Pools," "Backseat Freestyle") and Butterfly-era "King Kunta" and "Untitled 07," even treating Tampa fans to his features on the Future's "Mask Off" and Schoolboy Q's "Collard Greens."
King Kendrick kept fans guessing throughout the night, where he constantly shuffled through different material and rarely leaned on one album's catalog for too long. When fans were just getting used to beholding his greatness on the main stage, he disappeared and arose from the center of the floor in a platform draped in hanging lights, similar to his headlining Coachella performance earlier this year (I may or may not have waited up till 2 a.m. to watch it via live stream.) As he appeared this second time he came out in a fresh wardrobe, opting for bright red sweats and a hoodie. From the center of arena, he commanded the fans sing along (as if he needed to ask) to "LUST." and "Money Trees."
Lamar, whose new red get up seemed to bloom in the dark Arena, would later return to the main stage.
In a night full of highlights, the crowning moment came 19 songs in to the setlist when he dusted off the lone single from DAMN., the no.1 track "HUMBLE." As aforementioned, the crowd was singing/rapping along for most of the night but you and I know, there's levels to it. At song no.19 it reached its peak, as the roar of fans spitting the words back to Kendrick became so overbearing he simply let it happen. Leaning over the end of the stage, Kendrick cut the music and watched in admiration as a damn near sold out Amalie rapped the lyrics of "HUMBLE." so loud it shook the building. Y'all be calling it hip hop, but a spectacle like this had me hypnotized with his paranormal vibe.
Kendrick' critical accolades have been rolling in for so long that they've become commonplace. From his inception of the BLM anthem "Alright" to any of his three critically revered albums, not much hasn't been said in efforts to appropriately compliment his accomplishments and astonishments.
But in 2017 he has transcended to the status of G.O.A.T. Kendrick's been A1 since day one, but his latest contributions from the genre illustrate his growth as an artist. He's played a major part elevating the rap genre in terms of relevance and importance. Sure the genre's had visionaries before. Kanye West hasn't earned 21 Grammys for nothing (Yes I know, Jay-Z hall of fame sit your punk ass down) but a genre that breeds misconceptions with other generations needed a pallbearer to walk the line of both humility and greatness to help evoke interest from the widespread public. Prince may have died, but he lives on through Kendrick, whose vocal cadence and passion for music draw parallels to the Purple One.
Kendrick Lamar mirrors the genre of rap with as much legitimacy and edge as its founding fathers, but has also found a way to converse with the masses unlike any rapper before him. In a industry climate where artists are forced to sell out and commercialize themselves for approval, Kendrick offers a refreshing take as a man who's popularity is actually derived from the merit of his artwork. Ain't nobody praying for him, but I'll be damned if this Kendrick Lamar isn't carving his place in history as one of the best musicians of his era.
Respect the good kid. He's here to stay. As long as he reigns, we gonn' be alright.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 7, 2017.