What makes a superstar performance?
Is it the sheer size of the audience, or maybe the grand pyrotechnics and stage props? How about an array of hits — some nearing the rarified 1 billion streams mark on Spotify — or the power to draw other major stars to the stage as surprise guests? Maybe it just comes down to the performance itself; the electrifying know-how to make 15,000 fans stand on their seats and cheer for an hour straight.
Lil Baby checked all the boxes Wednesday night at Prudential Center, a date on the hugely popular Atlanta emcee’s first headlining arena tour, billed as the “Back Outside” tour (even though it was inside).
New Jersey’s largest non-festival hip-hop show of the year was a night of flames, larger-than-life spectacle and surprises from the 26-year-old rapper born Dominique Jones, who since his breakthrough 2017 mixtape “Perfect Timing” has been one of the genre’s most ubiquitous stars. He’s collaborated with nearly every rap mogul of the last decade, including Drake, Future, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Polo G and the late Pop Smoke.
But on his two-tiered stage in Newark, he stood alone — at least for a little while. The stage design’s focal point was a central platform with a pillar at each corner and platform roof, creating a sort of two-story gazebo Lil Baby could climb atop to oversee the crowd. He began his booming 75-minute set up there, pretending to wake up from his bed (an air mattress) sandwiched between two female dancers.
Sex, money and heaps of bravado, those are the central themes of much of Lil Baby’s work, take it or leave it. Early in the set, there was a new prop or gimmick for each track: He spat his rhymes from a loveseat for “Sum 2 Prove,” was rolled around on a clothing rack for “Drip Too Hard” (his biggest solo hit), and flowed from an ornate throne as six dancers shimmied around him for “On Me.”
Already draped loads of diamonds around his neck, Lil Baby pretended to shop from a jewelry table for “All In” and pantomimed counting stacks of cash from another table for “Get Money” — if those were real piles of dough, it was a hefty sum his dancers stuffed into backpacks.
About midway through, Lil Baby brought out enduring Chicago emcee Lil Durk, who opened the show and in June released an album with Lil Baby, “The Voice of the Heroes,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart (as did “My Turn,” Lil Baby’s 2020 triple-platinum solo LP). The duo, a fair match as they both rhyme with similar cadence and propulsion, performed together their album’s title track, but a special guest stole the show soon after. It was Meek Mill, the incendiary Philadelphia rhymer, who jogged out, further galvanizing the already hyped crowd.
The trio jammed a bombastic version of their new track “Sharing Locations,” from Meek’s new album “Expensive Pain,” which dropped last week. Soon after, Meek’s Philly brethren Lil Uzi Vert hit the stage, sending the gig into overdrive. The crowd exploded as the foursome tore through another track, which I think was “Blue Notes 2,” another new Meek track featuring Uzi? It was difficult to hear at that point, over the crowd’s deafening screams.
Uzi exited and Meek played one more song, his mega-hit finale “Dreams and Nightmares.” The frenzied audience shrieked every line, the arena literally quaking beneath.
The set finished with Lil Baby alone again, back atop his high stage, reveling as hip-hop’s latest artist to advance to arena status. While the emcee himself isn’t the most deft lyricist or particularly unique frontman, he’s the man of the hour and surely delivers a high-octane show. This one felt like a miniature Summer Jam, minus the blazing stadium heat (and plaguing thunderstorms).
Lil Durk hit the stage just before Lil Baby, jamming for 45 minutes with the guys from his Chicago rap collective Only the Family. As Durk, born Durk Banks, enjoys a slew of his own hits, the arena again shook during “Weirdo Hoes” and fans gawked at the man in the turkey costume for “Turkey Season.” Unlike Lil Baby, who had no live instrumentation, Durk’s set included a live drummer, guitarist and keyboard player, plus iconic Hot 97 radio DJ Funkmaster Flex on the tables.
Durk brought out Hackensack newcomer Coi Leray to perform her breakthrough spring hit “No More Parties,” (where Durk is featured). Leray, 24, performed prior to Durk, for a tight 25-minute set with full choreography as the Jersey artist (now living in Los Angeles) tries to make a name for herself. She’s on her way, with a sound that merges hip-hop, silky R&B and spastic hyper pop.
To say Coi was confident would be an understatement.
“You can’t stop greatness,” she assured the crowd.
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Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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