Made in America: Kendrick Lamar vs. AlunaGeorge
Along with whether Jay-Z will show up on stage with anyone at his own festival - and if so, with whom, and when? - there was another question paramount on the Made in America concertgoers mind on Sunday.
Along with whether Jay-Z will show up on stage with anyone at his own festival - and if so, with whom, and when? - there was another question paramount on the Made in America concertgoers mind on Sunday. Which was: Would Los Angeles rapper Kendrick Lamar drop the verse from Big Sean's "Control" that so inflamed the hip-hop world last month when Lamar had the temerity to claim he was "King of New York."
Answer: He didn't. However, he did join his compadres in the Black Hippy crew - Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q - and light up the crowd with a selections of cuts from his superb 2012 album good kid, M.A.A.D. City. Most importantly, the cleanly enunciating emcee spat the rhyme for the seemingly unlikely summer party anthem, "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe," a song whose title was emblazoned on many female Made in America attendees T-shirts.
Simultaneous with the hotly anticipated Lamar and Black Hippy set, and blessedly, not nearly as crowded, was AlunaGeorge, the British duo of singer Aluna Francis and beatmater George Reid, who played on smaller scale Freedom Stage. With a brisk trot - and stop in the mist tent - one could make it to both. Joined by a bassist and drummer, the two put on what of the sharpest, most infectious sets of the festival, blending the song-based dance pop with electronic touches skillfully on fetching tunes like "White Noise" and "Your Drums, Your Love." A winner.
Previously: Made in America Sunday afternoon Follow In The Mix on Twitter