By Ingrid Avancena
Lineup from this year’s Rolling Loud in California.
Standing for hours and being squished by thousands of people may be less than ideal, but it's hard to argue that there's a more thrilling way to spend a weekend than at the world's biggest hip-hop festival. Rolling Loud California 2023 was, in simple terms, nothing short of spectacular. Not only did Rolling Loud have the crowd rapping bar-by-bar, but it also brought out surprise guests and shone the spotlight on up-and-coming artists. It’s hard to imagine that such an event can take place over the course of a mere three days, but each day definitely had something to prove.
March 3, Day 1 of Rolling Loud
Rolling Loud kicked off with a bang, if it wasn’t already obvious from the star-studded lineup. Most hip-hop lovers were buzzing, even itching, to see Kodak Black live, especially when he performed his go-getter hits “Tunnel Vision” and “No Flockin’”. Chief Keef was hard to miss, exuding a confident and lackluster swagger as he rapped 18 classics of his (yes, including “Faneto” and “War”). However, the night undeniably belonged to Opium Records’ emerging artists Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson, along with the label’s owner, Playboi Carti.
Destroy Lonely opened his set with “if looks could kill”, a previously unreleased track that was instantly recognizable to his dedicated fans. His autotuned vocals, combined with his distinct punk-rap aura, continued to captivate the crowd, interweaving between rambunctious performances of songs like the intergalactic-esque “JETLGGD” and high-octane “TURNINUP”. Ken Carson, on the other hand, introduced himself through a blistering rendition of “Freestyle 3”, sauntering on stage with an indescribable vigor. Carson’s similarly-autotuned style came in waves of a nasal cadence, influencing numerous mosh pits to form during the rager anthems “Yale” and “Rock N Roll”.
Playboi Carti was the longest act for a reason, creating an ethereal experience for everyone there. His set was accompanied by electric guitar solos that transitioned into absolute insanity, the crowd erupting into chants as they heard infectious songs like “R.I.P. Fredo (Notice Me)” and “Stop Breathing”. Carti’s shrieking ad-libs and high-pitched projection, particularly demonstrated in his performance of “Sky”, made it hard for fans to be bored for a single second, serving as a complete dissonance from the relaxed inflection he incorporated in his earlier albums. What came as another surprise would be the fact that he closed out the show with the dreamy 2018 track “Location”, which was a full circle moment for those who have watched Playboi Carti grow throughout the years.
Playboi Carti at Rolling Loud.
March 4, Day 2 of Rolling Loud
Rolling Loud’s second day was also a whirlwind. Lil Baby equipped his raspy, tough enthusiasm as he performed the hardy “Wants and Needs” and head bopper “Drip Too Hard”, further cementing his place as one of the festival’s regulars. Lil Wayne made quite the appearance, his whiny drawls bouncing through energy-filled tunes like “6 Foot 7 Foot”. Shockingly, Nicki Minaj joined Lil Wayne on stage for a spirited duet of their song “Truffle Butter”, sans Drake. If that still wasn’t enough to excite you, just know that Cactus Jack affiliates Don Toliver and Travis Scott stole the show, as well.
Don Toliver immediately made his presence known by rapping along to his feature on “CAN’T SAY”, illuminating his gritty and crooning vocals. What I found interesting was that Don Toliver himself is just as engaging as his songs, as he couldn’t help but prance and dance to “Cardigan”. His versatility, however, allowed Toliver to slow it down at one point, serenading the audience through the smooth hymn of “What You Need”. “Private Landing” was ultimately a crowd pleaser– pop music icon Justin Bieber unexpectedly came out (with a joint in hand) to perform his verse with Toliver, sparking a renewed sense of Bieber Fever in everyone. Future, the other feature on “Private Landing”, was unfortunately nowhere to be seen.
Travis Scott was last in line, his set being one that was remarkable and, arguably, cultish. During some parts of his set, most notably when he yelled out songs such as the hypnotic “Butterfly Effect” and party staple “Antidote”, it was almost impossible to hear him over the crowd’s echoes that spanned across the barricade area and very back. Scott’s signature trap, ferocious sound was elucidated when he brought back his old banger “Mamacita”, a treat for fans and another opportunity for them to jump around without a care in the world. He couldn’t have finished the set better than with the haunting melodies of “Goosebumps”, encasing the audience in a cloud of smoke while reminding them that he will always go all out for Rolling Loud.
Don Toliver and Justin Bieber at Rolling Loud.
March 5, Day 3 of Rolling Loud
By the end of Rolling Loud, nobody was ready to go home. Although Future couldn’t make it for Don Toliver’s set the previous day, he was one of the headliners for Day 3, his exuberantly effortless flair coming alive in the twangs of “Drankin N Smokin’” and the hard-hitting essence of “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ”. Lil Uzi Vert was equally impressive, their cartoonish, exaggerated delivery entertaining fans as they performed songs like “Money Longer” and “Just Wanna Rock”. Despite Uzi and Future being internationally recognized, rappers Ice Spice and D. Savage also left a long-lasting impression on the crowd.
Ice Spice was welcomed with cheers and posters, her sassy nonchalance in full effect as she pushed out clever rhymes in “Princess Diana”. Being one of the few female artists invited to Rolling Loud, it was refreshing to see how the festival’s male-dominated audience was rapping with Ice Spice, even adding their own ad-libs to her songs. Fans took notice of Ice Spice’s improvement in breath control, being able to keep up with the drill beats in the song “Bikini Bottom” and quickly moving on to her most popular track “Munch (Feelin’ U)”. Due to Ice Spice’s discography, her set was only twelve minutes long, but she powerfully concluded it with upbeat vocals in the prideful ode of “In Ha Mood”.
D. Savage, who can hardly be described as a novice to the rap/hip-hop game, was not afforded a livestream of his set, unlike the other artists mentioned. However, from multiple videos of his supporters, it seemed like D. Savage traded in his moderately laid-back flow for a more belted-out intonation, putting a twist on the zooming synths of “Private Jet”. With an audience that enjoys hyping him up, D. Savage could easily let his cut-throat attitude prosper through “Opera”, aided by a menacing demeanor in “JOKER, PT. 2” (a favorite of mine, by the way). A sweet moment would have to be when D. Savage came down from the stage and directly interacted with his fans, touching their hands as he rapped to the mellowness of “Pill”.
Ice Spice at Rolling Loud.
Overall, this year’s Rolling Loud proved to be yet another success. I’m incredibly envious of those who had the privilege of attending, as I’ll probably be re-watching every performance until I get sick of it.
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