Kendrick Lamar's Lollapalooza Day Two Set Had All The Hits & No Misses

BYGabriel Bras Nevares2.9K Views
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2023 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
MANCHESTER, TENNESSEE - JUNE 16: Kendrick Lamar performs during the 2023 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 16, 2023 in Manchester, Tennessee. (Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)
To no one's surprise, Mr. Morale stole everyone's heart in the crowd- and had them going wild.

Kendrick Lamar is a mainstay at huge festivals these days, performing at Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, and now Lollapalooza. Moreover, he wrapped up Day Two (Friday August 4) of the Chicago festival at the T-Mobile stage in Grant Park. Of course, the Compton rap titan came through with a collection of some of his greatest and most successful hits. All the way from his breakout album Section.80 to the recent Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, everyone had something to latch onto during his set. What's more is that this was his first time performing at Lollapalooza in ten years, making for a very special moment.

Furthermore, the pgLang MC recognized it as such during various points of the show. "Is anybody alive right now?" Kendrick Lamar asked the crowd after performing "The Heart Part 5," "N95," and "ELEMENT." “Chitown, how are you feeling tonight? Make some noise. It’s a special night in a special city. It’s always special when we come out here, it’s always love. I want to make sure you have a good time from start to finish." "Until next time Chicago, I will be back," he expressed as he closed the night out with the incomparable "Alright" after going ten minutes over his set time.

Kendrick Lamar Performing At Lollapalooza 2023

Since he started about 15 minutes late, there was not a soul who complained about his extended stay. With such a high-quality and versatile slew of excellent songs, who in their right mind would? Kendrick Lamar brought the wooziness of "A.D.H.D.," the boasting on "Backseat Freestyle," the funk of "King Kunta," the smoothness of "LOYALTY.," and the tension on "Count Me Out," among many others. In addition, his live band and dancers elevated the show and made the experience much more unique than your typical festival headliner.

Meanwhile, amid teases of new music, these performances add to the 36-year-old's mystique. We saw him a lot on the festival circuit, but it begs some curiosity as to whether there's a deeper reason to do so. Maybe he's gearing up for something big, or is just enjoying his time on the road with fans. Either way, fans are always very excited for more from one of the best to ever do it, whether on wax or on stage. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kendrick Lamar.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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