Reliving the Greatest Shows of Last Decade
King Kendrick Gets Crowned (2012)
Line up: Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar
Location: Tabernacle - Atlanta, Ga
I wasn’t even old enough to drive when Kendrick touched down in Atlanta in September of 2012. Even before his debut album Good Kid Maad City dropped, the line downtown was wrapped around the block with hipsters, hooligans, and backpackers. Me and a couple of friends arrived hourse before showtime, so we stood in the front and had our homegirls jump the line when they pulled up.
Inside the tabernacle, there was hardly any room to “put three fingers in the air” as Kendrick would consistently demand - yet, there was plenty of space to pass around party favors.
So what was so special about this night?
Kendrick had just left the Bet Hip Hop awards where he was crowned lyricist of the year. The emotion overcame his entire body when he proudly exclaimed his victory to us, days before the award show actually aired.
Dot was promoting Good Kid Maad City, an album that would come out a couple of weeks later and ultimately become one of the greatest rap albums of all time. He previewed “Backseat Freestyle” which prompted me to walk around proclaiming “Martin had a dream!” for the next eight years.
It was a moment. It was the moment that Kendrick fully transitioned from a local superstar to a national staple. It was the moment that catapulted him to superstardom. If you can win over Atlanta, you can win anywhere.
Fool’s Gold Atlanta: Unreal (2014)
Line up: OG Maco, ILoveMakonnen, Father, Key!, Young Thug, T.I., Travis Scott, Danny Brown
Location: Masquerade - Atlanta, Ga
By my senior year of high school, me and my boys were veterans with this concert sh*t. In November of 2014, Fool’s Gold put together a show that perfectly captured the time and space that we were living in. They blended Atlanta’s high-powered underground scene with the freshly-declared leaders of the new school.
As students of rap music, we may have been more excited by the presence of every sizzling producer in the game. Sonny Digital, Metro Boomin, TM88, and all of 808 Mafia energized the crowd throughout the night as if they knew they were about to take over the industry.
So what was so special about this night?
Well for one, we sat on the f*cking stage. We dapped up pretty much every artist and producer that performed. Enjoy this video of my buddy getting yelled at by Travis Scott.
We also became a part of an image that will be encapsulated in time forever. Can you spot familiar faces in the image that headlines this article?
We were so close that Thug literally spilled lean on my homie’s box logo Supreme hoodie. It doesn’t get more hip hop than that.
Rolling Loud at Rolling Loud (2018)
Line up: Everyone.
Location: Hard Rock Stadium - Miami, Fl
How can I start this without incriminating myself? Like most college students, me and the bros tried to finesse a flight and a crib to stay in Miami for little to no money. We had the plug, but the day before the trip, everything fell apart.
That night, without much hesitation, we decided to pile into my Nissan and take the 10-hour drive from Atlanta to Miami. We spent the entire 10 hours arguing as we were trying to book a last minute place to stay. “Worst case scenario, we just sleep in the car” were words that were actually uttered on this road trip. By the grace of the universe, we were able to find a decent spot that wasn’t far from the venue — and most importantly, had a balcony.
So what was so special about this show?
Miami. Miami is never a bad city to be in if you’re 21 years old. Even if every single artist canceled, the gathering of restless young adults in the south Florida weather would have made for an interesting time. Nothing more to be said.
Culture. From Vlone pop-ups with Asap Bari and Lil Yachty to catching the release of Playboi Carti’s sophomore album Die Lit, there was no better place to be in on that weekend in 2018.
Travis Scott. Saturday night provided the single most electric performance that I have ever witnessed. A set that began with hopping security fences and rushing the stage, progressed to fistfights and fainting, and ended — well, like this:
Other stand out performances at Rolling Loud included Gunna and Lil Baby at their biggest appearances yet, Young Dolph with a bullet in his off hand, and XXXTentacion in his last performance.
Moments like these make me wonder if and when the pandemic will let up and allow for more unforgettable memories.
