Kendrick Lamar: one of the most iconic, influential and successful rappers of the 21st century. Following a moving and spine-chilling performance at Glastonbury earlier this year, expectations were high from long-time fan Robbie Simms for Lamar to deliver the goods. Would this be the case?
For me, seeing Kendrick Lamar live should evoke a similar feeling to what I imagine a devout Catholic feels when watching the Pope give mass. You catch a glimpse between the bodies of others and your heart swells, you feel your skin shiver as the vocals to United in Grief begin. He is here. It is awe-inspiring to be in his presence, you feel as though you are in touching distance of something greater.
Maybe it was because I hold Kendrick to such a high standard, or maybe it was because the style of performance Kendrick was going for was lost on me, but I cannot shake the feeling that Lamar is a disappointingly underwhelming ‘live’ performer. Obviously, it should go without saying that the music speaks for itself, as Lamar has written some of the most iconic, moving, and downright stylish rap tracks of the last decade. However, this is not a review of how good these songs are. This is a review of what it is like to SEE Kendrick Lamar live. And to be totally honest? Outside of the novelty of seeing the man live in the flesh, there really isn’t much to write home about.
Many of the tracks performed were truncated and stunted to fit as many as possible into the hour and thirty minutes slot. This led to incidents where the crowd was finding their flow in a song like HUMBLE, only for it to be cut short to switch to Father Time, a song with a completely different vibe, causing the energy of the crowd to dissipate immediately. A little later, Kendrick made further questionable decisions with his setlist. As the first bars of Swimming Pools began, you felt excitement ripple through the crowd, but instead of playing the full track, he skipped straight to the chorus (which we only hear once) before moving on. Later, the second half of King Kunta is skipped as well (how the hell are you going to skip King Kunta?). There just was not enough time to fully indulge in the songs and by the time the song was in full swing, he flicked straight to the next track, without a care for the audience’s enjoyment.
"Except, we’re already here, we’ve paid £86 for the privilege, and we want to see Kendrick on his A-game which, sadly, was nowhere to be found."
When writing this review, I had to check myself: who am I, a middle-class, white boy from Derby, to criticise a living legend like Kendrick Lamar? Unfortunately, though, as long-time fan who has seen Kendrick on both of his previous UK tours, this performance confirmed the doubts I had tried to ignore. Kendrick does not know how to have an engaging performance on a par with his peers. Where other artists prioritise the fan experience, Kendrick is wholly committed to the aesthetic of the act and if that means a less memorable performance, well, tough luck. His more popular songs feel as though they are performed under duress and this is particularly apparent in his delivery. Kendrick mainly ambled around the stage with little to no energy and rapped with a flow devoid of flair. The best way to describe it is that it was like watching a technical rehearsal, with a performer just going through the motions, marking out steps to take, and not giving it their all to save themselves for when the audience arrives. Except, we’re already here, we’ve paid £86 for the privilege, and we want to see Kendrick on his A-game which, sadly, was nowhere to be found.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Kendrick is not a bad performer - he’s fine, but that’s just it, fine. What’s more distinctly dissatisfying is that we know Kendrick is capable of delivering electric shows - his 2016 Grammy performance depicts a man channelling his entire being through his music, as though the most important thing in his life is delivering the next few bars. His face contorts with every line, the pain and anguish emanate from every syllable. The live band elevate the lyrics, acting as an instrumental hype man, ensuring every phrase is impossible to ignore. It’s enthralling, intoxicating, a performance that captured global attention and when compared to the performance given at Birmingham Arena, it is hard not to see the regression.
If this had been a rising star, I would have come away thinking it was a decent show for someone on their first world tour, a few questionable decisions here and there but perfectly satisfying for someone finding their feet. But this isn’t just anybody, this is Kendrick fucking Lamar. A man tipped by many to be the greatest of a generation and who must be judged as such, and when considering all of these factors? I have to conclude that while his music is undeniably incredible, his live performance will leave you wanting more for all the wrong reasons.
Robbie Simms
Edited by: Jodie Averis
Cover image courtesy of Complex.
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