Moving swiftly back into his set, Kendrick keeps us in the hype of his freshman project, Good Kid, m.A.A.d city with “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and the fan favorite, “Money Trees,” with a surprising absent Jay Rock. It was after “Money Trees” that the crowd wasn’t ready for what Kendrick had planned next with his groovy live band. Soon enough, the famous words blasted through the speakers, “If Piru’s and Crips all got along…,” providing for the wildest moment of the evening. As soon as the beat dropped, it was difficult for anyone to stand still if they desired to, as the energy turned addictively amped up. This is K. Dot’s signature hype anthem, and New York City made sure that he would always know it. As the crowd pushed and shoved, the vibes of the venue transitioned to a whole new level, giving Kendrick the space and momentum to keep the audience’s attention as he slowed down.

He moved into some of his newer records off TPAB, speaking candidly to the crowd about the innovative album. “Doing this album was motherf*cking therapy. Not just for you, but for me too,” he confessed to the packed audience. Performing “Hood Politics,” it seemed as though not one audience member was uninformed of its important lyrics, as it was chanted throughout the room word-for-word. Of course, Mr. Lamar didn’t keep the vibes low for too long, as he switched right into “King Kunta,” much to the approval of fans. He even performed “How Much A Dollar Cost” for the deeper admirers, who appreciated the diverse sound of Kendrick’s set.

Keeping things going on a high note, Kendrick turned things back onto the turn up tip, performing the self-love-infused record, “i,” as well as the more anger-infused, “Blacker The Berry.” The love from the crowd was very prominent, who supported Kendrick as he spit an acapella freestyle at the end of his set, which fooled fans into thinking he had exited.

The most iconic moment of the evening came as Kendrick departed the stage, with fans chanting “We gon’ be alright” for 5 straight minutes. Of course, the MC wasn’t going to leave them hanging, as he came back out for an encore, completely taking control of the audience. He made the hush signal, alerting everyone to lower their chants, as well as raise it up and yell it at the top of their lungs. Bringing back out his live band in the midst, Kendrick finally put on the familiar instrumental, closing out the show with an epic performance of his most innovative track to date. Overall, there were a few winners of the evening, but it was Kendrick Lamar who let New York City take home the real trophy.

The encore. #KuntaGrooveSessions pic.twitter.com/UUJkIBVWHP

— Lindsey India (@LindseyIndia) November 3, 2015