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) rappers of his time, Kendrick Lamar exists in the same league as his heroes.
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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.
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 the 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.
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 the 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.
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 seem 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 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.
He’s joined by his openers and dancers, the whole team seems 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.
