With the Yeezus tour back in full swing (albeit several dates cancelled), Ye is back to his usual antics, and that's a good thing. The Yeezus tour is far from your average hip-hop show, as those who have attended know. The event is cinematic and theatrical, with actors coming on stage (including one dressed as Jesus) through out the show, Ye ranting, and fans generally rejoicing. We attended the second show upon the Yeezus tour resuming, and we're breaking down what the experience was like.
Kendrick Lamar is a tough act to follow for most rappers. Most, but not Kanye West. The night was young as K. Dot performed hits like “Money Trees” and “Poetic Justice”, fans lightly bobbing their heads to the beat. King Kendrick provided a pleasing opening set, but what’s a king to a god? The drowsy general admission floor soon turned violent as Ye blossomed from the stage, shouting “Yeezy season approaching, fuck whatever y’all been hearing!”
Though he had his face covered by a mask, the presence of Mr. West was unmistakable. The 5’8” genius stood like a giant on stage, with a Cuban link chain hanging like a pendulum. The arena’s energy quickly escalated when “New Slaves” came booming through the speakers, fans chanting the chorus word-for-word as Kanye held out the mic. After performing a few of last year’s ignorant smashes like “Mercy” and “Don’t Like (Remix)”, Kanye turned back the clock and performed an emotional “Coldest Winter.” This part was especially memorable. Kanye laid on the edge of the stage and sang into the auto-tuned mic as the platform rose like a mountain. Emotion poured out of him as he sang, giving chills to everyone in the audience.
Once the mist from the fog machines cleared up, the mood lightened up as well, as he performed some of his earlier hits like “Stronger”, “Through The Wire”, and “Can’t Tell Me Nothin”. Astonishingly, there was no intermission during the near two-hour set. Kanye only disappeared briefly a few times to change his mask, but the stage was never empty. The concert was rather like a Broadway play, as actors (such as a furry red-eyed monster) were always in motion even when the songs were in transition. The crowd was never silent, nor fatigued.
The intensity reached its highpoint during his extensive performance of “Runaway.” Before the full instrumental dropped, Kanye teased the crowd by over-dramatically tapping the song’s piano notes. The suspense was punishing. Following the song came the real highlight of the night; the rant.
“What do you have to do to prove you’re creative?” Mr. West asked the crowd. “Do you have to scream it at the top of your motherfucking lungs?” “CAN I TALK MY SHIT AGAIN?!” Kanye repeated the question several times with fury. “Cause when I was in high school, they told me I would never be here..If you believe in yourself tonight put your hands up in the sky” At that moment, the near 20,000 people crammed into the TD Garden simultaneously stuck up their hands, a moment not to be forgotten.
The optimism carried into the final few songs. After finally removing his mask, Kanye was all smiles during his “Good Life” performance. As Ye wrapped up the final lyrics of “Bound 2”, on-stage characters, including Jesus, marched away from the spotlight. The monstrous crowd paid homage as West walked off stage, chanting “Yee-zus! Yee-zus!” Some diehard fans even knelt in prayer.
The Yeezus Tour is truly an experience that all hip-hop fans deserve to attend.
