KYLE makes an energetic crowd at The Trocadero Smyle

Kyle | photo by Tiana Timmerberg for WXPN

California rapper KYLE’s SUPER Tour stopped in Philly this past Wednesday, treating The Trocadero Theater to one of the most enthralling shows I’ve ever seen. The venue seemed to be chock full of diehard Kyle fans who not only sang the words to all of his songs, but were also more than welcoming to openers Cousin Stizz and SuperDuperBrick. Clever rap lyrics and infectious beats (enhanced by incredibly heavy bass) blasted through the Troc’s speakers. I genuinely didn’t see a single person leave without an ear to ear grin or, more accurately, a Smyle on their face.

Cousin Stizz did more than enough to set the tone for the show, captivating the crowd with an exciting performance that was fresh and showed off his handle of rhythm and flow. The stellar production of his tracks was clear but he didn’t rely on them or vocal tracks to make his performance as he commanded the venue. His vocals managed to remain impressively clear even while he continuously bounced and ran across the stage. Spoiler alert: he returned to the stage during Kyle’s set to perform their new single “Want Me Bad” together, an electronic and melodic song that has quickly become one of my favorites. SuperDuperBrick followed Stizz by DJing a selection of expertly chosen songs to hype up the crowd. “I’m up here sweating in this hoodie so I know you guys better be too!” he yelled down to a crowd full of kids jumping and singing along to the collection of popular rap and hip-hop songs he played.

KYLE came out very shortly after Brick’s solo set finished. Brick returned to the stage for Kyle’s set with a function that had shifted slightly from hype-man to DJ and dance partner. While I’m fairly certain “choreographed dances” isn’t the first thing that come to mind when you imagine a rap show, Kyle’s set was characterized by his high-energy, hilarious and well-rehearsed dances with Brick. His usual bright and colorful stage set-up has been upgraded to a massive screen, making for a set that was not only pleasing to the ear but also exceedingly visually appealing.

His messages stray from the stereotypical “rapper content,” focusing on spreading positivity and clearly conveying his humility and kindness. He frequently paused to thank everyone for supporting him and his setlist catered to fans of every album. He played everything from brand new singles and songs from his most recent album Smyle to songs that are 4+ years old. His single “iSpy” (featuring Lil Yachty) currently boasts an incredibly well deserved spot as the number one rap song in the world. After playing the catchy song as part one of a two song encore, he jokingly told the crowd “if you were just here to see ‘iSpy,’ move out of the way and let my day ones up to the front for this one.” He proceeded to literally crowd surf, finishing the show with fan favorite “Really? Yeah!” while on a surfboard in the middle of the crowd.

The tour continues through the beginning of May and is already about a third sold-out. You can check out remaining dates and keep up with Kyle at his website.