See Kendrick Lamar's Powerful Grammys Performance

From ELLE

If the opening performance is anything to go by, the Grammys will be one of 2018's most political awards shows. Kendrick Lamar lit up the stage with a bracing performance of "XXX" from his album DAMN. Lamar performed on stage against a projection of the American flag, surrounded by marching soldiers, before the words "This Is a Satire by Kendrick Lamar" appeared on the screen. U2's Bono, a guest star on the track, arrived to deliver his lines from the song.

Unexpected guest David Chappelle dropped in halfway, with a pointed address: "I just wanted to remind everybody that the only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America. Sorry for the interruption."

Lamar, who is nominated for seven awards tonight and has already won three, then picked up with an intense new song. Chappelle appeared one more time, to say of Lamar's opening act, "It looks like he's singing and dancing, but this brother's taking enormous chances." The rapper closed his performance among multiple red-clad dancers, who each fell to the ground as if shot.

The first award of the evening, Best Rap/Sung Performance, also went to Lamar and Rihanna, for their collaboration, "Loyalty."

Watch Lamar's performance below:

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