concert review Archives - New Hip Hop News

Doja Cat Bites Back With Intoxicating “Scarlet” Tour

December 1, 2023 by newhiphopnews

With audiences and critics’ unrestricted access to the inner happenings of creatives (in various mediums) reaching a new frontier, the delineation between music, personal circumstances, and the demands of a fanbase is rapidly evaporating. Every statement and motion magnified to the umpteenth power, the lens can begin to shift away from what matters most: the music.

Some artists, though, take it upon themselves to step out of that perpetual game of cat and mouse, taking the art in a direction that may seem jarring to others, but feels true to themselves. In this moment, the union of intention and intangibles creates something honest, and in that sense, undeniable.

Enter: Doja Cat

The full-on megastardom brought about by her 2019 album Hot Pink came along with the inevitable magnification of one’s entire existence. 2021’s Planet Her only continued the ascent, multiplying the spectator’s angle of view. These facets of artistry/industry all came to a head when Doja decided to make a blatant shift in aesthetic, ditching the bubblegum for something much more abrasive, and in many ways, more tactile. New haircut. New style. And a new (or moreso revealed) musical approach.

In the period after Planet Her, Doja Cat released tracks such as “Paint The Town Red” and “Attention.” The latter truly set the tone for the potent rapping that would take place on her 2023 album Scarlet. In fact, the former set the stage for an unforgettable spectacle that tour attendees won’t soon forget.

Doja Cat Weaves Her Web

.@DojaCat performing “Demons” in a stunning look tonight in Washington, DC! #TheScarletTour pic.twitter.com/HQInw23Xot

— Scarlet Tour Updates (@ScarletTour) November 28, 2023

Akin to watching a fully fleshed-out horror film or dark anime i.e. Devil May Cry, Doja Cat leaned into the Scarlet theme with reckless, yet somehow meticulous, abandon. Draped in all red regalia during a dramatic intro accompanied by a string section, she then burst into full energetic bravado for “WYM Freestyle.” The visual backing then transitioned the audience into a jarring, captivating performance of “Demons.” A mechanical black spider, of which seemed to be all of 20+ feet tall with red, piercing eyes, added an intimidation factor incredibly early in the show. This, coupled with her immaculate breath control told everyone one thing – Doja Cat means business.

She rounded out the first act with “Tia Tamera” and “Shutcho,” instantly garnering massive crowd engagement. The choreography began to ramp up, and the presentation of the dancers left nothing to be desired. The characters in the ‘Scarlet’ theatre embodied each scene, whether with fervent aggression, tender sensuality, or tangible culminations of both. The aforementioned sensuality began to display itself more during the final song of this act, “Agora Hills,” and would continue to reprise its role in the acts to come.

Standing At Attention

As mentioned in the intro, the June 2023 single “Attention” signified an aesthetic and energetic shift for Doja Cat. The same can be said for its iteration as the first track in Act II. There was a fierce focus in her delivery of the verses. Moreover, the choreography was much less dance-based and served as interactive sculptures around different moments of the song. Even the accompanying screens and effects were ever-so-slightly more subdued, directing every anticipating eye to the star of the show.

Following that was a sonically stunning performance of “Often,” but what came next was a shock. After filling the crowd in about some details of a voice ailment she was dealing with, out spilled the lyrics “I’ve got a red room, it is the red hour when the sun sets in my bedroom.” This was a thematically poignant, gorgeous cover of “Red Room” by the ever-transcendent Hiatus Kaiyote. This tied together her performance. Not to mention, it also displayed Doja’s ear and creative choices to a heightened extent.

She closed Act II with a rousing performance of “Ain’t Shit,” an obvious fan favorite, then dove headfirst into the next segment of this spectacle.

Still Superstar Status

The intention behind the cinema that is Scarlet still stands strong. However, shedding the pop-star persona for something that aligns more with her creative approach just works. Doja Cat still has a plethora of crowd-moving mega-hits in her arsenal. Act III was a showcase of metaphorical (and literal) firepower, as she rattled off hit after hit, with various pyrotechnics aplenty setting the scenery ablaze.

In succession, the crowd was delighted by “Woman,” an afrobeats-inspired mix of “Say So,” “Get Into It (Yuh),” “Need To Know,” and “Kiss Me More.” As if some of her hottest tracks weren’t enough to elevate the temperature in the building, intricate lasers, thermal optic sights, and a kiss cam took the act to a different degree. Doja’s screams of “KISS EACH OTHER” served as an entry point for what was next to come.

Paint The Streets Red

Being her “biggest rap hit” in terms of sales numbers, “Paint The Town Red” was yet another eye-catching single released prior to the unveiling of ‘Scarlet.’ One issue with people’s understanding of artistry – or lack thereof – is they begin to attach unrelated context that was never intended.

Doja Cat never said she would no longer make hit music. The perpetual bubblegum pop aesthetic – coupled with a lack of awareness for her lyrical prowess and penmanship – simply called for a drastic enough redirect to be intentional, visible, and most importantly, effective. Performing the track with a massive sentient eyeball alongside her on stage acted as an omni-directional lens: everyone is intent on looking at and analyzing her, while she now has the wherewithal to keep an eye on everyone else.

Following that display of multi-level understanding, Doja shifted the atmosphere back to palpable sensuality. “Streets,” the most sonically sultry of her hits, received a performance in equal measure. “Painting the town red” was seemingly not enough. Standing alone, she instead opted to delve into a visual masterpiece in performance art all her own. She communicated each brush stroke through music and motion. The dance of the cosmos, in miniature. In an act of beautiful juxtaposition, she then performed a reverberating, raucous “FTG.” She did this alongside more flames and intensified choreography to close Act IV.

Doja Goes Off

Numerous tracks encapsulate the essence of the ‘Scarlet’ cinematic experience. “Go Off” and “Ouchies” leading into “Wet Vagina” is an incredibly vivid illustration. The nonchalant braggadocio, tailing into ruthless lyrical aggression, all spiraling into uncensored, unfiltered outbursts truly created an experience that Doja Cat may currently have a monopoly on.

The live band, of which was stellar throughout the entire night, put on an absolute masterclass during the closing act. Each riff added dimensions that speak to the reasons live concerts are regarded so highly. The drummer was phenomenal, with impeccable timing alongside the electronic bass hits and ghost notes that rounded out each verse in pristine fashion.

Capping off the spectacle was an amalgamation of the effects present within the duration of the show. Fireworks, pyro, lasers, screen flares and flashes – whatever your mind can construe, it played a role in bringing down the curtain exquisitely for the parting act. One thing is astonishingly clear – with this echelon of artistry, Doja Cat will be painting towns in whichever color she feels for many years to come.

The post Doja Cat Bites Back With Intoxicating “Scarlet” Tour appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Concert Review: Travis Scott Turned So-Fi Stadium Into “Utopia” For A Night

November 8, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott made history at the SoFi Stadium on Sunday, November 5th. He brought his electrifying Utopia – Circus Maximus Tour to the stadium in Inglewood, California, and it was an experience to remember. This larger-than-life spectacle was a sensory overload, to say the least. It defied the boundaries of a traditional concert. In fact, Scott transported the audience to his world, or his UTOPIA. Complete with a stage that resembled a rock trail, an ambiance that consisted of cricket sounds, and an eerie smoke coming from the stage, it was anything but average. UTOPIA was the album released this year, five years after his last full-length studio project ASTROWORLD. The project came off as one of the most cohesive bodies of work of Scott’s career thus far, and it earned him a No. 1 spot on Billboard’s coveted Top 200 chart.

As far as transporting audiences to utopia, Travis did just that. Teezo Touchdown was the show’s opener, and he enchanted audiences with his performance. From the moment the lights dimmed, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. Flames erupted from the stage as music began to play, adding to the intensity of the evening. The rock stage design seemed to have a life of its own, with flames spontaneously shooting up during select moments. Although most of the setlist consisted of music from Travis’ latest album Utopia, he did in fact sprinkle in a few fan favorites from his discography.

Travis Scott Transported People To Utopia

In fact, he started the set with “Hyena,” and “Thank God,” which set the energy for the night and definitely got the crowd hyped. These two songs are also the first to appear in chronological order on the album, too. Around 10 o’clock, a robotic, AI-sounding female voice pleasantly prepared people for Scott’s lively entrance. Throughout the stadium, her voice could be heard announcing, “Greetings from Utopia. Before the show starts, open that s**t up.” The robot was referring to the mosh pits that tend to ensue at Travis Scott’s concerts. Finally, about 20 minutes after the announcement was made, Travis Scott made his grand entrance. Following the first two songs “Hyena” and “Thank God,” he went into “Modern Jam” with Teezo Touchdown, followed up with “Aye” and then performed “sdp interlude.”

The energy increased throughout the stadium with each song becoming more and more high-energy. There was even one moment when some fans tried hopping over the barricade to get to the floor. Some people made it, and ran off into the crowd. As more tried to jump the gate and get a front-row experience, security stopped that from happening. Moreover, towards the middle of the night, Scott kept the energy high. He performed three of his most popular songs, back-to-back, to which everyone knew the words. The songs were “Butterfly Effect,” “Highest In The Room,” and “Mamacita.” This was truly the peak of the night as the entire stadium filled with 70,000 people, was standing and singing each song word for word.

Scott Shared A Cute Moment With Stormi

His performance of “Mamacita” from 2014’s sophomore mixtape, Days Before Rodeo, was a highlight of the night. It’s a song that marked the early days of Travis Scott, and also signified his rise in the industry. He didn’t stop there with taking the audience back. In fact, he dug deeper into the archives to perform “90210” from his 2015 debut studio album, Rodeo. The energy was still pretty insane as the audience relived the classics.

The night took an unexpected family twist when Scott’s firstborn child, Stormi, made a surprise appearance. As the song “Mafia” played, Stormi made her cameo and rose onto the stage. With her fearless dad Travis Scott, the two rode the parasail structure together, harnessed in so that they could soar above the wild crowd. High above the mosh pits, fans witnessed an extraordinary father-daughter bonding moment, as Scott held Stormi’s hand the entire time. It was a cute moment to witness, for sure. In addition to bringing Stormi out, Scott was pretty interactive with his fans as well. He selected two people from the crowd to ride the parasail at one point during the show. Two men in green masks were selected to rage atop the rocks, definitely making their night.

But, that’s not all the surprises Scott had in store! He brought out King Vamp, also known as Playboi Carti to the stage for his performance of “Fe!n.” The song’s intro track played for at least 20 seconds before Carti emerged from the rocks. His surprise appearance had the crowd going crazy. It was definitely one of the most memorable surprise guest appearances of the night, and maybe even concert history, as the two powerhouses took the stage to turn the crowd up even more than they already were. It felt like an entire party inside the stadium as the flashing strobe lights made it feel like a club.

Travis Scott Brought Out Playboi Carti

After Playboi Carti’s appearance, Scott seamlessly segued into “Sicko Mode,” keeping the energy levels cranked up to eleven. His trusty DJ, Chase B, was the sonic conductor. He ensured every transition between tracks was a flawlessly orchestrated symphony. The entire concert felt like an unbroken, exhilarating flow of music and movement, a testament to Scott’s mastery in delivering an unforgettable live experience. The crowd was left in awe as the hits kept coming, making it a night to remember all the way through.

Finally, as the concert came to a close, it was clear that fans didn’t want the party to end. Before ending his set, he took a moment to thank his fans with a clever transition into his last song. “I never thought of this dream coming true, this night has given me beyond chills… I have goosebumps.” Furthermore, he closed out with a performance of “Goosebumps,” one of his most popular and well-known songs. As people were walking out, “Telekinesis” played in the background. The night ended far too soon!

In retrospect, it was an unforgettable night that’s going down in concert history. Travis Scott delivered an incredible performance, spanning from classics like “Mamacita” to the crowd-favorite “Highest In The Room.” Stormi’s adorable cameo and Playboi Carti’s electric performance of “Fe!n” added extra layers of magic to the evening. The audience was caught in a euphoric trance, wishing for the night to last forever. It was a party that transcended time and left a mark on all who were fortunate enough to be part of it.

The post Concert Review: Travis Scott Turned So-Fi Stadium Into “Utopia” For A Night appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Burna Boy Is The Perfect Ambassador For Afrobeats

November 6, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Over the past few years, as Nigerian pop music — also known as Afrobeats, perhaps a bit reductively — has grown more popular stateside, the artist who has emerged as the central focus for the movement is Burna Boy. Amid a constellation of rising stars such as Asake, Davido, Rema, and Wizkid, his has been the one that burns the brightest. From a semi-coincidental US breakout to becoming the first Nigerian musician to headline an American stadium tour (more on that later), Burna has become the most recognizable face of the genre and its unofficial ambassador from his homeland to the “land of opportunity.”

Of course, I knew all this going into the Los Angeles stop of his I Told Them… Tour Friday at BMO Stadium (home of the Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC soccer teams). But I was still unprepared for the show of sheer enthusiasm from the massive crowd at the recently renamed stadium. While the crowd itself was visibly smaller than the venue’s capacity of 22,000 seats, its energy filled the space, making the misty late-night show feel like the crowded arena show it probably should have been (for the record, the nearby Crypto.com Arena seats 20,000).

While I was perfectly prepared to jibe at the African Giant’s self-aggrandizing decision to pursue the eyebrow-raising “first artist” headlines over the more pragmatic decision to sell out an ostensibly smaller venue (not to mention, the seating shell game used to achieve those headlines), by the time Burna was three songs into his setlist, I was not only converted but I also fully believed that Burna is the perfect ambassador for Afrobeats in the US.

Some of this is down to background info. Having written about the artist for the past five years, I’ve gleaned some insights into his politics, including a belief in the small-but-growing “One Africa” movement, and his insistence on fighting to clarify the Afrobeats moniker. Burna staunchly rejects the classification, preferring the term “Afro-fusion,” which he believes is both more accurate and less confusing, considering his countryman Fela Kuti pioneered a genre called Afrobeat (no “S”) over 40 years ago.

And while he believes that Africa, the continent, should be united under one banner — sort of the way the EU is made up of several different countries using similar trade and financial laws — he is careful to note that “Afrobeats” paints with a broad brush that doesn’t accurately distinguish between contemporary African music such as Amapiano, Coupé-Décalé, Ethio-jazz, Gqom, Makossa, Sungura, and more. There are so many different sub-genres, instruments, languages, and cultures, that the term Afrobeats can truly be seen as reductive (and often is, outside of Nigeria).

But the main aspect of Burna’s performance that makes him such a perfect ambassador for Afro-fusion is, naturally, the music, and the ease and confidence with which he performs it. While the music itself often expresses a joy that can’t be easily put into words (and certainly not in less than these 800 characters), what I can say is I’ve never seen any artist appear to enjoy themselves onstage as much as Burna. Longtime readers will know: that’s a LOT of artists.

Both his ear-to-ear grin and his lighthearted, sometimes goofy dancing are infectious. Security gave up trying to keep concertgoers out of the aisles almost immediately on Friday, recognizing quickly that maintaining neat little lines would not only be impossible but ill-advised. You’ve probably seen how energetic some African dances can get; folks all around dipped and swayed and dropped down with the sort of urgency and stamina that would even make Megan Thee Stallion’s adamantium knees cry out for assistance.

Meanwhile, despite Burna’s lyrics mostly being in the pidgin Yoruba spoken among natives of the region, the crowd seemed to know every word, singing along like they were his real background vocalists (both sounded spectacular). He exhibited immaculate crowd control with call-and-response segments that brought the spirits of the ancestors out of the audience — even those without African ancestry (a group of SWANA guys behind me were having so much fun dancing in the aisle, it seemed like Burna’s dream of a united Africa was much closer than it might be in reality).

And even after the set lulled an hour in when Burna played most of his slow songs back-to-back (this after starting after 10 pm), he snatched the crowd back to wakefulness with joyous anthems like “It’s Plenty” and his breakout hit “Ye” before closing with his biggest hit to date, “Last Last.” That’s a guy who knows how to finish a show (confetti rain, band vamps, the whole shebang). With Burna Boy introducing more and more of the population to the music of his homeland, it makes perfect sense why Afrobeats is taking over the world.

Burna Boy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Doja Cat Is Ready To Silence The Haters

November 3, 2023 by newhiphopnews

doja cat scarlet tour recap — Getty Image / macrovector_official on Freepik/Derrick Rossignol

There were plenty of narratives swirling around Doja Cat heading into the launch of her Scarlet Tour. Questions surrounded the size of the venues on the tour, her first honest-to-goodness tour since falling into her glittering success era in the middle of a global pandemic; whether she’s been going through some kind of breakdown after shaving her head and seemingly going on a year-long crusade against her most devoted fans; whether or not she’s a “real” rapper.

It’s a shame the people propagating such narratives probably weren’t in attendance at Staples Center in Los Angeles Thursday night (alright, fine… Crypto.com Arena. UGH). Not only did the Los Angeles native handily address each of those narratives but she and her opener Doechii also batted down a few of those that have been bandied about concerning the state of so-called “female rap” (gross) for the past few years (and especially the past few days).

With much of Doja’s success coming during the live music shutdown of 2020 and her opening slot on The Weeknd’s recent stadium tour nixed after surgery, there were observers — loud ones — who thought that Doja wasn’t “ready” for arenas, or that she wouldn’t be able to sell out an arena tour, especially after pissing off “core” fans by insulting “stupid” stan account admins who clung to their parasocial connection like a life raft in a hurricane at sea.

Well, consider that myth busted; it’s fitting that Doja’s hometown show brought all the drama to Tinseltown — and none of the gimmicks that far too many other acts half of her stature have resorted to for attention. Born and bred on the internet, Doja’s well-versed in the online chatter about her, and systematically dismantles every complaint in her Scarlet Tour set, which is presented in five acts and finds her confronting both the haters and the unhinged alter ego her latest album is titled after.

Accusations of Satanism are skewered by a churchy staging of “Shutcho,” while Doja assumes a classic Jesus pose during “Attention” that irreverently takes the piss out of worrywarts who read malintent into something as commonplace as a bat tattoo. She subtly knocks down criticisms of her struggle with her biracial origins (her mom’s white, her dad’s South African) with an African traditional dance to open “Woman.”

Then she adds Brazilian bossa inflections to her biggest hit, “Say So.” This is telling. She’s previously reinterpreted the disco-pop hit as a rollicking rock anthem and alien EDM dance floor bop, saying she got sick of performing the song the same way over and over during the pandemic. By infusing it with diasporic influences, she revels in her heritage, recapturing a part of herself so many seem so eager to snatch away.

She proves her rap chops again and again throughout the night, but also her singing. The Badu impression on “Often” reaches fully-fledged neo-soul vocalist dimensions on her Hiatus Kaiyote cover “Red Room.” And I shouldn’t need to point out that her stagecraft at this point is beyond even some of her predecessors.

On Thursday, the native Angeleno even incorporated a Staples tradition, the in-game kiss cam, imbued with her own meme culture-obsessed humor, and handled an unplanned mic malfunction with her signature humor, pulling a face I really wish I’d gotten a photo of. And you want to talk props? How about a massive robotic spider, like something out of The Matrix, hovering over her head, or being flanked by a giant walking eyeball during “Paint The Town Red,” complete with attached optic nerve?

More than anything else, it looks like the narrative she is most interested in debunking is one she has maybe fed into a bit herself. On stage Thursday night, she looked like she was actually having fun performing… Check that. She looked like she was having the time of her life, like all the effort and time and money she’s put into this thing was actually worth it for the 90 minutes she spent up there captivating and communing with her audience — the “real” fans.

The ones who bought tickets, who overlooked or ignored the narratives, who put the music first, the way she does, the way she always has. She put on a show, not just for them and not just for Doja Cat, but also for Amala, the girl who loved music so much she made it her life against all odds (and sometimes her better judgment). She made Amala proud.

Check out more of our Scarlet Tour coverage here.

Gunna Is At The Top Of His Game, And There’s No One Who Can Bring Him Down

September 12, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Gunna Barclays Show 2023 — Teflon’s Archives

With “Back At It” blaring from the speakers in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Gunna emerged atop a platform that held him several feet above the ground. The rapper’s face and a large snake, both in the form of stone-like sculptures, were laid out on the stage beneath him. This entrance was equally triumphant and boastful, and rightfully so, as this time a year ago, Gunna was behind bars as a part of YSL’s 56-count RICO Act indictment filed by Fulton County in May 2022. Gunna was released seven months later after he agreed to Georgia’s Alford Plea “in which a defendant doesn’t admit he committed the crime but acknowledges that it is in his best interest to plead guilty.”

Gunna’s plea deal and subsequent release led to a wave of criticism from rap fans, many of whom were supporters of Young Thug, who to this day, remains behind bars as a result of the same RICO indictment. Gunna was called everything in the book as many believed that his plea deal contributed to Young Thug’s ongoing imprisonment. Many declared they would no longer listen to the Atlanta rapper because he was a “snitch.” Unmoved by this, Gunna released his fourth album A Gift & A Curse in June of this year in what would be the start of his summer takeover. It debuted at No. 3 on the album charts to become his fifth top-10 release and the album. It also spawned the hit record “Fukumean” which has spent the last two months in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 while also becoming the highest-charting single of his career.

Gunna’s 2023 success is wrapped in plenty of irony. He’s a rapper who became more successful than ever after many – both fans and artists alike – cut ties with him. He’s also a rapper that, as our own Aaron Williams pointed out, many called a snitch despite simultaneously claiming that Young Thug and others were innocent of all charges against them. None of that mattered though as the rapper stood on that platform in Barclays for his first live show since his prison release. What mattered is that, as his A Gift & A Curse album proved, Gunna is back and he can’t be stopped.

After his captivating entrance to “Back At It,” Gunna dove into took on other A Gift & A Curse records like “Bottom” and “Idk Nomore” to solidify the commanding presence he established with his opening record. He quickly catered to fans of his 2022 chart-topping album DS4EVER with performances of “Too Easy” and “Poochie Gown,” the latter of which was eloquently accompanied by women in Pucci gowns on stage. Through this opening section, Gunna made it clear that he was not deterred by the unproven allegations placed on him from all angles over the last year. He’d successfully filled up Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with a show that nearly sold out, and in return, he treated his audience to a spectacular concert with an attention to detail that was not only admirable but worthy of applause as well.

When Gunna performed “Top Off” from his beloved 2018 project Drip Season 3, he did so from a hanging mic to reference his viral A Colors Show rendition of the record. He recognized the popularity of B-side records like “Baby Birkin,” “Who U Foolin,” “Met Gala,” and “Pedestrian,” a delivered those moments to fans who have been unable to see the rapper since his Drip Or Drown 2 Tour in 2019. Regardless of what his stance with YSL artists and affiliates is, Gunna knew to perform standout collaborations like “Drip Too Hard,” “Yosemite,” “Sold Out Dates,” “Ski,” and “Hot.” More recently in terms of his discography, Gunna took notice of the acclaimed transition from “F*kumean” to “Rodeo Dr.” on A Gift & A Curse and recreated it at Barclays for a moment that sent the audience into an explosive cheer that nearly threw the arena off its axis. Gunna has always been a showman who knew what his audience wanted, but with plenty to prove to the world, the rapper delivered a performance with fiery authority for a set that will be remembered throughout his career.

The rapper’s show at Barclays did have its minor flaws. At its halfway point, the rapper performed a section of songs that sent the arena into a bit of a lull. The nine-song section included slower-tempo records like “Bread & Butter,” “Paybach,” and “I Was Just Thinking.” After such a fiery start upended by songs like “South To West,” “P Power,” and “Dollaz On My Head,” the switch in energy was noticeable as Barclays felt noticeably dormant. Thankfully, Gunna brought life back to the arena with a section of records dedicated to Young Thug as he performed tracks that featured his YSL boss. “Hot,” “Ski,” “Oh Okay,” and “Pushin P” all rang out after a “Free Jeffery” graphic appeared on the big screen. The songs sent the arena into a frenzy, and more noticeably, signaled that maybe the internet rumors about Gunna’s post-incarceration relationship with Young Thug is what the internet chalked it up to be. Maybe there is no animosity on either side, but at the bare minimum, nothing is confirmed, and maybe the assumptions and theorizing should be saved for more important things.

Gunna’s 2022 incarceration couldn’t have come at a worse time in his career. He was just a few months removed from landing his second No. 1 album with DS4EVER, a project that impressively beat out The Weeknd’s Dawn FM for the top spot. Eighteen months later, Gunna delivered another top-3 album to the world with A Gift & A Curse as well as a summer hit with “Fukumean.” Keeping all this in mind, Gunna’s Barclays Center concert was a reminder of many things. The rapper is still one of music’s most beloved acts at the moment, as the arena of fans rapping his lyrics for nearly two hours proved. The rapper is an entertainer who knows how to captivate a crowd with both his music and his fashion sense. Lastly, Gunna is at the top of his game and it’s going to take a lot more than rumors and agendas to bring him down.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Beyoncé Knows Exactly What We Need

September 5, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The shimmering of SoFi Stadium was practically blinding.

It started with a seemingly simple request from someone who doesn’t usually ask for much. As Leo season concluded and Virgo season commenced, Beyoncé made a rare Instagram post asking that fans coming to her upcoming shows wear their “most fabulous silver fashions” to grant her a birthday wish. And suddenly, it didn’t matter that tickets were hard to get or that many fans had been waiting years for Beyoncé to roll back through town.

Folks by the tens of thousands took to Etsy, thrift stores, designer boutiques, and their parents’ closets to find something to fit the bill, to sparkle and shine in Beyoncé’s presence. Even the most casual of dude threw on some grey jeans or a charcoal shirt. At worst, as acclaimed writer Roxane Gay noted, it was a slight annoyance. But for the vast majority of eager participants, it was a chance to take an already special occasion and turn it into the kind of collective experience that is both exceedingly rare in contemporary life and increasingly successful when executed on a massive scale. From Barbenheimer to the Eras Tour, life in 2023 feels more vivid and vibrant when you are experiencing it en masse with others. And at the Renaissance Tour during Beyoncé’s birth season, that moment was bathed in chrome.

It made for fun people watching, as mirror ball-reflective cowboy hats and glittery body paint and retro suits and sequin dresses gathered in the state-of-the-art football stadium. It was enough for Beyoncé to beam with joy as she made her way through the set’s relatively relaxed opening numbers. She commented on how amazing those in the front looked with their distinct silver fits, smiling wide that so many had answered the call. And while the fans could feel content that they had granted Beyoncé’s “B-Day” request, the truth is that Beyoncé knew exactly what the fans needed to take an already monumental tour to the next level. It further cemented the sense of community, giving those in attendance a sort of uniform as Beyoncé supporters. And hell, it just looked really cool.

This is a defining trait of Beyoncé, an artist who displays pristine intentionality in everything she touches. While her evolution from standout girl-group member to generational musical force has developed over the decades, her choices keep finding the Venn diagram of what is right for Beyoncé and what her fans need looking more and more like a perfect circle. There was her 2013 Super Bowl triumph and adventurous return three years later; the surprise self-titled album release; the shift to more nuanced capital-A Art on Lemonade and its accompanying movie, a Coachella appearance that redefined what a festival set can be; and then, coming out of the pandemic, an album that pushed people out of their homes and into the shared spaces that felt like they might never return to. She’s a chessmaster thinking multiple moves ahead, giving fans exactly what they need and allowing them to feel like they are giving it right back.

But as much as fans did give it back to Beyoncé, it still always feels like a candle compared to a sun when in her presence. For nearly three hours on Friday night, she danced, sang, and presented an engrossing spectacle centered around her latest album. There were moments that felt specifically centered around Blackness, others that focused on femininity, and still others that honored the queer dance culture that heavily influenced the sound of the record. She provided her fans an in-person glimpse at the status of her first foray into motherhood as daughter Blue Ivy showcased the performer’s DNA that runs through her blood by dancing during “MY POWER.” She gave a rare opening set from DJ Khaled, who in turn paraded out a steady stream of rap royalty, including Coi Leray, Offset, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Roddy Ricch, and an abbreviated Lil Wayne, who unfortunately had microphone delay issues. And with her actual birthday falling on the last of her SoFi stops, Los Angeles got a special treat with the return of “The Big 3” as Beyoncé returned “THIQUE,” “ALL UP IN YOUR MIND,” and “Drunk In Love” to the setlist for only the third time on tour, while the actual birthday show on Monday saw appearances from Diana Ross and Kendrick Lamar.

Los Angeles might not have nailed the on-mute-moment during “ENERGY,” but they certainly were up for the key changes of the “Love On Top” singalong. Still, an element of the concert felt like Beyoncé preparing fans for the future. Beyoncé turned 42 yesterday, and while her time as a dancing, stadium-selling artist is far from over, she also proved that if she ever went the Adele route, she’s more than equipped to let her vocals be the star. The whole first portion of her set is geared around this, as she simply stands and sings and basks in the glory of the moment. Later in the set, she appears inside a giant sea shell that feels directly ripped from the Vegas crooners of yesteryear. If she ever does fully pivot in this direction, it will be for an audience that is aging with her.

But for now, Beyoncé is still proving that she can do it all, enrapturing millions of fans across continents with a massive show. She knows she can elicit screams by interpolating a tiny bit of “Say My Name” within “VIRGO’S GROOVE” or can bring chills to tens of thousands by simply saying “Los Angeles” in her unmistakeble, husky speaking voice. She knows she has an ace in her back pocket if and when she decides to release the visuals fans have been clamoring for. She’s a master for walking that tightrope of knowing the right amount of music, merch, and content to keep fans both satisfied and wanting more. The trust that people put in Beyoncé is well-earned, and was never more tangible than in the sparkling reflective color scheme across SoFi Stadium. Beyoncé asked for a gift, only so she could give one right back.