Restless murmurs fill the air of the American Express audience. Disbelief sets in and fans begin to wonder, “is it happening again?”
At 8:44pm, four minutes past Kendrick Lamar’s scheduled opening, fireworks go off, and the instrumentals of Gaye’s, “I Want You” set the town for the Pulitzer Prize winner's weekend two performance.
K. Dot, one of the many monikers Lamar goes by, began his set with the N95, a hit from his newest Grammy award-winning album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. After a lengthy tour for the record that began last summer, the Compton-born artist has taken a final run with the project through various festivals.
Lamar also played songs from his other major albums, especially the biggest hits found on Damn. and Good Kid m.A.A.d City.
The roar of Kung Fu Kenny’s fans echoed through the park as Kendrick’s six-year-old left stroke continues to go viral.
The anointed greatest rapper alive came out in black-rimmed sunglasses, pink baggy pants, a black bomber, and his signature white Nike Cortez. No special guests accompanied the musician except for his Kendrick clones, wearing a denim apron, black sunglasses, and opposing black Cortez.
Lamar’s Thing One and Thing Two grew exponentially throughout the show as Mr. Morale dives deeper into his own discography and opens up more to his adoring Austin audience. Themes of hypocrisy, infidelity, and self-destruction contrast with confident hooks.
“Bitch I’m attractive. Oh.“
Visually, Kendrick rapped in front of another LA native, Henry Taylor, and his depictions of growing up in the City of Angels. Three paintings fall throughout the set marking a different point in the rapper's 80-minute journey.