Kendrick Lamar Closes Out Day 2 of Lollapalooza 2023 With Hits-Stacked Setlist

“It’s always special when we come out here. It’s always love,” the rapper said about returning to Chicago.

Kendrick Lamar performed in Chicago a year for ago for his Big Steppers Tour. But the last time he performed at Lollapalooza was in 2013. Then, still fresh off his sophomore set, good kid, m.A.A.d. city (2012), a brilliant album that cemented the Compton native as a cultural force with thought-provoking lyrics. Friday (Aug. 4), Lamar — now one of the greatest and influential rappers of his generation — returned to Chicago’s Grant Park to close out day two of the festival.

As expected, a massive sea of high-energy fans gathered at the T-Mobile stage early on to secure a spot to see the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper up close. As his set time at 8:45 p.m. neared, the area got densely packed with hardly any empty spots around you. Lamar was 15 minutes late but his fans were forgiving. And he made up for lost time kicking off with the big hits (plus he went over 10 minutes over his allotted time). At exactly 9 p.m., “The Heart Part 5” started blasting and seconds later, the man of the hour appeared dressed in blue from head to toe, and a Dodgers-inspired blue cap repping pgLAng, the entertainment company he launched with Dave Free in 2020. He then went on to perform “N95” and “Element,” before officially saying hello to the crowd.

“Is anybody alive right now?” Lamar asked. In return, festivalgoers roared letting him know that they were alive and eager to sing bar for bar with Lamar. “Chitown how are you feeling tonight? Make some noise. It’s a special night in a special city,” the rapper said.

The Grammy-winning artist went on to perform a mesmerizing set — with a group of interpretive dancers in aprons and a live band in tow — which spanned his greatest hits of the past decade-plus, including tunes from his rich body of work such as Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, DAMN., To Pimp A Butterfly and good kid, m.A.A.d. 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,” the hip-hop icon told fans. Showcasing his lyrical prowess and vast catalogue, Lamar wound through songs such as “King Kunta,” “Backseat Freestyle,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” “m.A.A.d. City,” “LOYALTY,” “DNA.,” and “HUMBLE.” and “Count Me Out,” to name a few. He closed with the 2015 anthem “Alright,” and said “Until next time Chicago, I will be back.”

Day two of Lollapalooza also included performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Jessie Reyez, Fred Again.., Thirty Seconds to Mars, Tems, Sudan Archives, and Sueco, among others. The 1975 was also a headliner and in charge of closing out the Bud Light stage.

By Griselda Flores

Photo: Jason Koerner/GI