“I’m so glad we added this [expletive] show,” Drake exclaimed. “Having 18,000 of y’all sell this show out in three weeks – and come out here and [expletive] with me like this – makes me love what I do.”
A fitting end to an over 15 month draught of hip hop at the newly renovated Enterprise Center (F.K.A. Scottrade Center) in Downtown St. Louis, Drake announced his return to St. Louis on his Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour a mere three weeks before hitting the stage on November 10th. The rapper from Toronto’s last St. Louis appearance was in 2013 where he filled the same arena with adoring fans on his “Would You Like a Tour?” Tour featuring Future and Miguel.
Drake. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Deemed then to be at the top of his game with “Hold On, We’re Going Home”, Drake has spent the last five years upping his game with each of his releases, and even earlier this year, shattered records set by The Beatles in 1964 when 7 of his songs made it into the Billboard Top 100 in a single week.
The rapper hit the stage for a 90 relentless minutes, playing through dozens of tracks that the majority of the 18,000 in attendance seemed to know every word to. All of them “hits” in their own regard, his over-30-song setlist is a testament to his diverse artistry and style, as well as his known mastery of an effective hook.
Drake. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Whether fans were there for his R&B/pop tunes like “One Dance,” “Fake Love,” or “Hotline Bling,” or for his more hard-hitting gritty hip-hop like the entirety of his new album titled Scorpion, Drake gave the fans in attendance exactly what they’d bargained for – and maybe even more. With his over-the-top production, the show was laced with state of the art 4K screens lining the floor of the stage, a floating Ferrari, pyrotechnics, fog cannons, and confetti, leaving this show next-to-none.
Drake. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Along with him, he brought support from R&B crooner signed by Drake’s own label, OVO Sounds, Roy Woods, and the famed rap trio from Atlanta, Migos.
Roy Woods hit the stage for thirty minutes where he gave St. Louis a nod for introducing him to hip-hop with Nelly’s Country Grammar, as it was his first time stopping in our city. He made sure to round the stage during his performance, giving the fans on the floor a show as he danced and sang in front of them throughout his set. Full of gratitude, he made sure to thank those in attendance for coming early to listen to his set.
Migos. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
After an unforeseen 45 minute delay, Migos hit the stage for only about 20 minutes, skipping some of their biggest songs like “Bad and Boujee” and “Stir Fry” (which they later performed with Drake during his set). Forced to cut their set short, they seemed a bit off from performances in the past, lacking energy and crowd-play. This, however, did change, as they came out amidst Drake’s set to play through some of their biggest hits with him, allowing him to catch his breath during his high impact 90 minute set.
Drake. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Before Drake’s departure with the radio smash hit “God’s Plan”, he reminded St. Louis of his love for our city. “Thank you, St. Louis, for [expletive]in’ with me,” Drake said. “This is why I’ll be coming back here for as long as I’m doing this – for the rest of my life.”
Photos © Alyssa Bardol
