For the second to last stop in the Black In America tour, Vince Staples dominates the stage as he performs at the historic The Shrine venue in Los Angeles. Following immense acclaim from his 2024 album “Dark Times”, Vince Staples embarked on a US tour that focused heavily on his newer material while also thanking long time fans with a mix of his older work as well. Since Staples is based in Long Beach, California, his Los Angeles set was considered to be his hometown showing and he could not have been more ecstatic to have returned home to play in front of his day one audience. With the help of the supporting act R&B singer Baby Rose, the venue was filled with a majestic performance by her as she gave a very beautiful and ethereal presence to the crowd. The stage was lit with harsh red lights as her and her supporting bass player would finesse the venue with passion and energy. This performance marked my first time seeing her play live and I was immediately hooked! Her voice was absolutely beautiful and it was clear the audience meshed with her sound just the same. As her set concluded, I felt a euphoric buzz like I was taken to a warm sunny field in the middle of the springtime with everything in bloom. 
Following Baby Rose’s ethereal performance came Vince Staples with all the love and energy he has for both his own music and the hip-hop genre in general. I first discovered Vince when he appeared on Earl Sweatshirt’s 2013 album “Doris” where he was featured on the song “Burgundy” and since then I was hooked on his music. His talents and personality are one that will etch him onto hip-hop history as a legend and someone who presents themselves with true authenticity to help add to the art form. As Vince Staples enters the stage, the audience roars with excitement and without any hesitation, he starts his set with the song “Black & Blue”. The stage set design is simple with a few platforms and the US flag waving in the background. It is with this simplicity that we get to truly pay more attention to the rapper and his talents. With the minimalistic stage design, Vince is truly able to direct all eyes on him and allow his audience to be immersed in his genius lyricism and exceptional presence. Additionally, given the fact that it’s a hometown show, the crowd is absolutely raving and their screams of excitement are some of the loudest I’ve heard in a while. 
With a stacked set list consisting of songs such as “MHM”, “Government Cheese”, and “Shame on the Devil”, Vince not only gave one of the best albums of 2024 but also one of his best live performances. I’m excited to see what his future endeavours will hold as he has now released his final album with Def Jam and with his TV series “The Vince Staples Show” being renewed for Season 2. This truly feels like the beginning and end of an era for the rapper and I’m excited to see what he has in store for 2025. For the fans that couldn’t make it out to the concert in Los Angeles on November the 6th, you can still check out our exclusive photo gallery from the show featuring both artists just below. You can follow Vince Staples on Instagram @VinceStaples for additional updates and more photos.
Article & Photos By Hector Mendoza (@mendoza_photos)
