After a weekend filled with memorable storylines, including Kid Cudi’s abrupt walk-off and the stage return of Travis Scott, Rolling Loud Miami’s Sunday night (July 24) finale was bold and electric thanks to Kendrick Lamar. Top Dawg Entertainment’s most revered artist left fans in a tizzy with his high-octane energy level as he swooped into new and classic material from his catalog while bringing out a couple of surprise guests.
The set kicked off with a dark stage after a thorn-filled crowd appeared on the screen. With everyone’s attention glued to the set, four people in plastic hazmat suits sauntered onstage as Lamar trekked through them to reach the mic. With a violin soundtracking the moment, “N95” blared through the speakers and kicked off the fiery performance. Lamar stayed in step and carted more records out (“Purple Hearts” and “Worldwide Steppers”) from his Billboard 200 chart-topper Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers, causing a mosh-pit to break out in front of the stage.
Lamar’s incendiary set also earned an extra jolt when Florida native Kodak Black joined him for the new album’s standout “Silent Hill.” Sunday night marked Lamar and Black’s first performance together and added to Rolling Loud’s weekend highlight reel. KDot’s set reached its apex when things became a family affair with the appearance of Baby Keem, who performed earlier in the day only to storm back on stage for his cousin-in-rhyme to unleash their 2021 hit “Family Ties.”
Fans were equally elated when Lamar stepped outside Morale and skated through classics such as “Backseat Freestyle,” with the Miami crowd rallying alongside him, screaming the song’s intro, “Martin had a dream!” Lamar also spoon-fed his fans trimmed versions of “LOYALTY” and “HUMBLE” from his 2017 opus DAMN before closing out his set with Morale’s beaut “Savior.”
Lamar’s Rolling Loud Miami performance was a part of The Big Steppers tour featuring Keem and Tanna Leone; the next show on the outing is slated for Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday (July 27).
