Kendrick Lamar returns after five year hibernation to Oakland Arena
Spotlights illuminated a puppet, piano, and perfectly synchronized group of dancers in the Oakland Arena on September 1st. Seconds later, the lyrics “I’ve been goin’ through somethin’” echoed through the room and Kendrick Lamar sat behind the piano on an otherwise empty stage as he began his set for the Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers album tour. Fans screamed as Lamar spoke the next lyric, “One thousand eight hundred fifty-five,” representing the amount of time that had passed since he had been on tour for his previous album Damn.
Following the release of Damn, Kendrick Lamar fans were eager to hear more of his iconic hip-hop music that is best known for its unique storytelling and sharing of personal narratives. Expectations for his next album were high as Damn was a global success as he received a Pulitzer Prize for the album in 2018. When Lamar dropped Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers fans were not disappointed as it reflected Lamar’s personal experiences with love and grief as a Black man in America. As such, the excitement of waiting five years for Lamar to drop an album bounced off the walls for the entirety of the concert; mosh pits formed as Lamar performed his biggest hits over the course of his career such as “King Kunta” and “DNA.”
The postmodern feel of the set put all the focus on Lamar as his black suit popped against the metallic floor and simplistic black backdrop. A wide array of supplementary props such as a bed, lighting elements, fire, projected images onto a sheet, and the puppet seamlessly moved on and off the stage for certain songs as well as the dancers.
As the concert went on, it became very clear that every element of the show was intentional, including Lamar’s movements. 20 minutes into the performance, the lights went dark and Lamar began walking towards the back of the arena. At each step a note, synchronized to a spotlight, from the piano would play. At first, fans were confused as the notes and rhythm were not recognizable, until the beat dropped and Lamar started rapping his hit song “Humble” as dancers in tuxedos swarmed the stage.
While dancers and props are often used as sources of entertainment in performances, Lamar utilizes both as messengers of relaying the meaning of his songs to the audience. When performing “N95,” Lamar walked towards the bottom of the stage as a woman’s voice projected “Mr. Morale, it’s time for you to take a COVID test.” When Lamar stopped walking at the end of the stage, a large glass box slowly descended down from the ceiling and four dancers in hazmat suits walked towards Lamar. The glass box then encased all five of them. One of the dancers actually gave Lamar a COVID test right before the song started. Smoke then filled the glass box as Lamar started rapping. If anyone in the audience was unfamiliar with what an N95 Mask was prior to this performance, they would have left understanding completely.
Towards the end of the performance, Lamar brought his younger cousin and overnight sensation Baby Keem on stage. Only months prior to the release of Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Baby Keem propelled to international stardom as a hip-hop artist after being taken under Lamar’s wing. Lamar and Keem’s family ties were visible as they performed their hit single “family ties.” Morale was high as Keem stepped off the stage.
Lamar descended below the stage one final time and the lights went dark. Feelings of awe propagated throughout the arena and a “Rich Spirit” followed fans home.