Kendrick Lamar and SZA deserve it all.
The two performers kept the energy high during every minute of their eight-act, nearly three-hour-long show May 12 at Gillette Stadium. Throughout the night, the stars seamlessly blended hip-hop, rap and R&B, balancing each other’s vibes while sharing the stage.
Lamar started the night off with “wacced out murals” and “squabble up,” the first two tracks from his latest studio album, “GNX.” The rapper made his grand entrance by stepping out of a 1987 Buick Grand National Experimental, which the album and tour are named after. Though the tracks put Lamar’s devotion to the West Coast on full display, he had nothing but love for the East Coast.
“They tell me it’s the last show on the East Coast,” Lamar said. “We’re gonna take this shit to the next level.”
Lamar wasted no time showing the audience what he meant by “next level.” All of his sets utilized elaborate pyrotechnics and fireworks, often set off to the beat. He also took advantage of the wrap-around stage, getting up close and personal with his fans but never losing focus.
After Lamar performed a few songs and teased the crowd with the first half of “tv off,” SZA took the stage for her first act. SZA had no trouble maintaining the energy Lamar built up and making it her own, and the two launched straight into “30 for 30” from “SOS Deluxe: LANA.”
During SZA’s performance, footage of bugs played on the on-stage screens, alluding to the themes and cover art of “LANA.” As the night went on, she only upped the ante with this motif, riding a giant ant while flanked by backup dancers dressed as praying mantises.
The R&B star didn’t sleep on her earlier hits either, performing three tracks from “Ctrl” before handing the mic back to Lamar.
In his second set, Lamar broke out the crowd-pleasers, leading with “euphoria,” his first track from last year’s infamous beef with fellow rapper Drake, and following with “hey now” and “reincarnated” from “GNX.” In many ways, the album was seen as a victory lap for Lamar after the public decided he had won the beef with “Not Like Us,” which later won five Grammys, including Record of the Year.
After bringing out concert staples “HUMBLE.” and “Backseat Freestyle,” Lamar called attention to the blend of old and new fans among the audience.
“I see a lot of day ones, but I see a lot of new faces,” Lamar said.
To suss out which fans were which, he performed an extract of “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and a reinterpretation of “m.A.A.d city,” both from his 2012 album “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” In case any new fans didn’t know it already, he then performed “Alright,” perhaps his most enduring hit after it became an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.
SZA’s second set emphasized the contrast between her and Lamar’s visual styles even more than the first. While Lamar mostly stuck to black and white for the first half of the show, SZA’s sets were accentuated by vibrantly colored backgrounds and warm lighting.
Focusing mostly on tracks from “SOS” and “LANA,” the highlights of SZA’s second set included “Scorsese Baby Daddy” and “Low.” Afterward, the two stars finally took on a full set together, performing “Doves in the Wind,” “All the Stars” and “LOVE.”
Lamar’s next set featured more tracks from “GNX,” covers of “Like That” and “GOOD CREDIT,” both of which he featured on, and “Poetic Justice,” an older track which features Drake, hinting at the ferocity he would later unleash. SZA’s final and longest set included huge hits like “Kill Bill,” “Snooze” and “Good Days” accompanied by showstopping visuals as she hovered high above the stage in a ballroom gown.
In his last set, Lamar was ready to leave it all on the stage, finishing “tv off” with the iconic “Mustard” scream, referencing his producer. Lamar showed his appreciation for Mustard by having him as the opening act, where the producer played a series of beats to warm up the crowd.
And of course, in the moment every fan was waiting for, Lamar unleashed “Not Like Us,” a song so unabashedly vitriolic and explosively popular that Drake is now attempting to sue. At this moment, the tension and anticipation that had been building up all night was finally released.
The GNX returned for the encore, this time draped in a red tarp, almost as if to say it was time to pack things up. With this, Lamar and SZA performed smash hits “luther” and “gloria.”
For two stars to successfully share the spotlight, they need flawless chemistry, masterful instincts and the ability to switch between restrained performances and emotional outpouring. If anyone ever wonders how it’s done, Lamar and SZA can show them, and that’s why they deserve it all.
