Kendrick Lamar

This Tent, Manchester TN June 7

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Jun 12, 2012

It hasn't even been a year since Compton, CA MC Kendrick Lamar dropped his attention-grabbing debut Section.80, but based on the crowd's response, you'd think this guy had been in it for way longer. Rounding out a consecutive trio of hip-hop shows at This Tent that also featured Danny Brown and Yelawolf, Lamar coasted through his set, blending his socially conscious messages with always-fun music. Opener "P & P" had the sea of fans screaming along about women and drugs, while he took time before tracks like "Rigamortis" to remind listeners to remain "unruly" when it comes to dealing with the industry -- a theme that permeated his banter the entire night. Lamar also took a couple opportunities to give the audience his heartfelt appreciation and remind everyone that Section.80's success was all due to the fans (again: this guy has some serious beef with "the industry"). He also turned to the crowd throughout the performance asking for requests, though whether or not he could actually hear anything over the screaming is anyone's guess. He took a moment to slow it down with "Chapter Six," though the set's highlight was "Ronald Reagan Era." Despite reminding everyone that he'd come all the way from "Cali-mothafuckin'-fornia," Lamar managed to get people from all over the world gathered under a tent in Tennessee and completely engrossed in his music.

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