Lil Wayne Performs Rousing, Hit-Packed Set at SXSW
Late Thursday night, at the legendary Austin venue Stubb’s, Lil Wayne headlined an SXSW showcase hosted by Mass Appeal featuring sets from DJ Mustard, Dave East, MadeInTYO and more. The rapper delivered as the star of the evening, powering through hit-after-hit in an action-packed, hour-long set.
The Young Money MC entered the stage with little fanfare, merely walking on and gleefully diving into his catalog just before midnight. “I’m Going In” was an early crowd-pleaser, with Wayne even doing some footwork as he flexibly flipped through his verses. He took a moment after the Drake collaboration to let the audience know, “We all ain’t shit without the man up above,” and that Wayne “ain’t shit without you.”
Lil Wayne lets his fans know 3 important about him. #SXSW pic.twitter.com/QX7Jc9pBTm
— PreciseEarz.com? (@PreciseEarz) March 17, 2017
He burst into “A Milli” with the audience screaming back the loudest sing-along of the evening. Given his location, Wayne continuously shouted out Texas and Texas hip-hop, especially the scene from Houston. “I feel like a Houston native,” he commented at one point. His performance of “Lollipop,” the sexual, R&B-tinged electro-pop single, was dedicated the ladies in the audience.
One of the most rousing portions of Wayne’s set included a swift run-through of some of his famous guest appearances, including Drake’s “HYFR” and “The Motto,” French Montana’s “Pop That,” Chris Brown’s “Loyal” and Chance the Rapper’s “No Problem.” The latter was followed with a moment of appreciation for the young star, with Wayne admiring Chance’s independence as an artist who has refused to sign to a label.
The night ended with his Gucci Mane collaboration “We Be Steady Mobbin'” leading into “No Worries.” Wayne exited the stage as low-key as he entered it, even after facilitating his next big hit and the hottest topic in the rap world, Nicki Minaj’s “No Frauds,” which played the fans out.