Kendrick Lamar Opened the Grammys 2018
The 2018 Grammys were kicked off with a multi-faceted and moving performance from Kendrick Lamar. The Grammy-nominated and winning rapper started the evening with a performance that saw special appearances from U2 and Dave Chappelle.
Featuring visuals that included an American flag, uniformed dancers dressed in Army fatigue and eye-popping flames, Kendrick cycled through a number of his tracks including "DNA" and "XXX", as Pitchfork reported. In between verses he was joined by U2 for a brief vocal and instrumental performance, along with words from Chapelle who said: “The only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America.”
Kendrick ended the opening with a visual of black men dressed in red hoodies seemingly dropping to the ground as a result of a gun shot, with drums acting as the sound of a gun. The ending, along with the performance in its totality had many on social media reacting, with some calling it "one for the ages." One user even declared it "the most important performance in the history of hip hop."
Related: A Portrait of Kendrick Lamar Painted by a Teen Will Hang in the U.S. Capitol
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