Kendrick Lamar Brings Good Vibes to Essence Festival 2015

Kevin Benoit

Kendrick Lamar closed out the last night of Essence Festival 2015 and he was everything you could ask for. The rapper was pleasant, positive, and inspiring and his set ran short, providing staffers in the venue an early night off.

Lamar ran through cuts from his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, as well as a few of his features and some of the new standouts from To Pimp a Butterfly. His stage presence was much different than what I’ve seen at previous hip-hop shows that Lamar has performed at, which makes it clear why Essence decided to have him close out the weekend on their biggest festival yet. The California-born lyricist made it his mission to talk to the fans in the crowd, shouting out people who wore clothes that read “Compton” and exuding welcoming energy to everyone in the audience.

Kendrick Lamar Brings Good Vibes to Essence Festival 2015

When it was time to perform his new single, “Alright,” he spoke directly to one of the young boys in the crowd, a pre-teen who was there with his parents in one of the first few rows. Lamar dedicated the song to the young brother but not before offering him some inspirational words of wisdom, a moment that the fan will probably never forget.

For many, I’m sure this was more than a show. It was an eye-opening look at the rhymer and the man that is Kendrick Lamar. The music sounded better live, although it probably can’t get much better than it already is.

Check out our images from his show here: