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He has produced three classic albums, is one of the few legitimate contenders for the greatest rapper of all time, and is the only pop artist to win a Pulitzer Prize.
As far as Kendrick Lamar is concerned, is there much potential for improvement artistically?
Yeah there is: his live show.
Or rather, there was.
Lamar’s ‘Big Steppers Tour’, which hit the Fiserv Forum on Thursday, is one of the most daring hip-hop epics Milwaukee has ever seen, following ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ in 2011. It’s only comparable to Kanye West’s coup at Summerfest in Tyler, The Creator’s stunning Fiserv Forum show in February. (It’s been a very good year for Milwaukee hip-hop fans).
Related:These are all arena, amphitheater and stadium concerts in Milwaukee in 2022.
Related:Kendrick Lamar delivers a raw, soul-baring musical journey with long-awaited double album
It was a far cry from the last time Lamar played in Milwaukee, seven years ago. His groundbreaking masterpiece, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” was made months earlier, setting Summerfest to another West-level milestone. However, Lamar’s grossly disappointing general his hour-long set didn’t share that album’s risks or ambitions.
But now, his artistic live show execution rivals his studio creativity.
As the 100-minute show began, 11 dancers—black suits for men and white coats for women—ran across the floor onto the stage, shoulder popping, arm swinging, and hand clapping in unison. The men marched off the stage, the women sat on their beds, and one light bulb lit up to the sound of her one piano. Then another piano sound and another light bulb lit up.Lamar, in his own black suit, at the piano, in jewel-lined hues and shimmering gloves like Michael Jackson. I was wearing it.
And a ventriloquist dummy made in his image sat at the edge of the piano. After delivering his syllable cascading verse of “United in Grief” from the piano, Lamar and his dummy marched to the catwalk’s mic stand and unitedly rapped the breathtaking final verse.
The piano keys set the mood once again, one note blaring with each delicate step he took as he slowly walked down the catwalk following ‘Rich Spirit’. Then Lamar played the piano again—his notes immortal opening “HUMBLE”—his dancers flooded the stage, zigzagging around him like a swarm of bees.
Male dancers once again flocked to Lamar for “mA Ad city,” while transforming sharks, spiders and palm trees surrounded the rapper’s silhouette on the stage’s large curtain for “Worldwide Steppers.” That silhouette trick would later provide him with one of the most striking visuals of the night on “Count Me Out.” Lamar crouched, restlessly bouncing off his body, shaking his gloved hands from time to time, towering shadows mimicking his movements, but silhouetted six arrows from his back. Except sticking out.
Incidentally, Lamar has been photographed by more supporters than ever for May’s latest album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. There were her six-minute toxic fight with actress Taylor Page on “We Cry Together,” offensive references to R. Kelly, and multiple appearances by controversial rapper Kodak Black. Then there’s the well-intentioned but clumsily executed “Auntie Diaries.” It claims to support trans people, but contains multiple homophobic slurs and Lamar misgenders a transgender relative and gives her a dead name. increase. She (she is unclear if Lamar agreed to do so.)
That Michael Jackson tribute may have upset some of the crowd on Thursday, but Lamar wisely downplayed Kodak Black’s appearance, playing only a snippet of audio from “Together,” I skipped “Diaries” completely.
And in the end, at least some of the iconic arrows on Lamar’s back were shot by him himself.
As an album, Steppers is a mess in its design. While she hasn’t received the rapturous response she received from 2013’s “good kid, mAd city,” 2015’s “Butterfly,” and 2017’s “DAMN.” It’s also clear that you don’t want to. “I love how you count me out,” he raps over and over on “Count Me Out,” claiming he’s nobody’s savior on Thursday’s show closer “Savior.” did.
He doesn’t want to be a hero, a rap Messiah. In “Steppers,” he strives to be a better person, undaunted by deep and personal reflection, recognizing his many failures and early traumas, and striving harder than ever through his music. I’m here. Yes, Lamar has never been so polarizing, but he’s also never been so down-to-earth.
So behind the treatment as the staging of a theatrical production, Lamar of “Grief”, with empty infinity pools and dust-gathering Rolex watches, could neither provide comfort nor make up for his guilt, “Money wipes away tears.” “I (expletively) objectified too many people and killed their confidence.”
And on “Father Time,” Lamar holds back his emotions and admits that his father’s teachings have made him a loser.
“I have daddy issues, it’s on me,” Lamar rapped on Thursday.
Lamar was alone for the song on Thursday, circling an empty chair. And he spent a lot of time alone on stage, processing past memories and present thoughts. From ‘DAMN’ he was also alone, examining not only loyalty and joy, but the poison and pain that lie within him, and the rapid-fire verse hit as hard as the other visuals.
And “Alright” (the cathartic “butterfly” anthem that became the unifying theme of the Black Lives Matter movement) tells the story of Lamar being isolated inside a clear plastic cube (wearing protective gear). Except the four dancers who wore it were facing away from him in each ).corner) – after he “got” the COVID test. In fact, the longest physical connection Lamar had with anyone on Thursday was a ventriloquist dummy who looked like him.
Lamar has arguably made three of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. That Pulitzer is unheard of. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest rappers we’ve ever known. And now, he’s proven that no rapper so far is better at putting on a spectacle of thought-provoking live shows.
But when it comes to what matters most—becoming a better person—it was clear from Thursday’s show that Lamar’s work continues.
Lamar’s cousin Baby Keem opens Tanna Leone
Lamar’s cousin Baby Keem played a sweaty and sold-out Rave show just four months ago. This was two days before he won his first Grammy Award for his collaboration with Lamar, “Family Ties.”
Virtually everyone showed up early for the relative Lamar, who was dubbed a “musical genius,” but the trade-off with a larger audience for this 30-minute set was that Keem wasn’t headlining. So it is understandable that the energy was significantly reduced.
Nevertheless, the crowd knew the catalogue, and Keem as a stage performer turned out to be calmer and more purposeful than when he went in the spring. This is best seen in Thursday’s intensely heartbreaking song about an estranged mother, “Issues,” accompanied by footage of a solemn woman. behind the rainy window. “Musical genius” is debatable, but “big star” seems inevitable.
Rapper Tanna Leone became the third and latest artist (after Lamar and Keem) to sign with Lamar’s new media company, pgLang, this year. Based on Thursday’s overall mellow 15-minute set, it was hard to tell what Lamar was seeing in him, but the artsy visuals and flashy lighting and unlabeled QR code were enough It sure had a slick presentation of a blinking, little-known opener…the final screen on set that directed visitors to his webpage.
main point
- Minutes before Lamar’s set began, he appeared in a video on a Financial Literacy sketch alongside billionaire investor Ray Dalio, which doubled as an ad for tour sponsor Cash App. It was also reminiscent of Lamar’s hilarious financial advice rap on “Saturday Night Live” nearly a decade ago.
- It was the voice of Dame Helen Mirren, who acted as the narrator/therapist throughout the show.There was also a customized line of dialogue for the show, and Mirren asked, “Milwaukee, are you having fun?”
- There were no musicians on stage, but Lamar had a live band playing in a pit near the front on Thursday.
- Pitt’s jerk had the nerve to throw a crumpled plastic bottle at Lamar during “King Kunta.” Unsurprisingly, security seemed unchecked, but that didn’t surprise Lamar or trip the dizzying flow in the slightest.
- Baby Keem and Tanna Leone are back for Lamar’s performance in addition to the opening set. A shirtless Leone didn’t add much to the busy presentation of “Mr. Morale,” which included dancers and fireworks, but Lamarr was the link for Keem’s collaborations “Vent,” “Range Brothers,” and “Family Ties.” The crowds have reserved the night’s most intense energy for the latter.
set list
1. “United in Grief”
2. “N95”
3. “Elements”.
4. “Worldwide Steppers”
5. “Back seat freestyle”
6. “Rich Spirit”
7. “Humility”
8. “Father Time”
9. “Maad City”
10. “Purple Hearts”
11. “King Kunta”
12. “Loyalty”.
13. “Swimming Pool (Drunk)”
14. (Expletive) Don’t Kill My Vibe
15. “Die Hard”
16. “DNA”.
17. “Count Me Out”
18. “Money tree”
19. “Love”.
20. Good
21. “Mirror”
22. “Silent Hill”
23. “Vent” (with Baby Keem)
24. “Range Brothers” (with Baby Keem)
25. Family Ties (with Baby Keem)
26. “Crown”
27. “Mr. Morale” (with Tanna Leone)
28. “Savior”
Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter. @pietlevy Or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
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