Rap superstar Kevin Gates delivered an energetic and thunderous performance to the campus faithful Thursday night as the headliner of Groovin’ 2019, LSU Student Government’s annual concert series.
The show, the product of student fees and donations from sponsors, brought Gates back to his roots. A Baton Rouge native, Gates graced the stage still basking in the critical acclaim that his 2016 commercial debut “Islah” garnered for him — in addition to a host of features with other artists and almost 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
And even though Gates knows his hometown inside and out, the trip to a raucous Pete Maravich Assembly Center still proved to be uncommon ground.
“I’m not gonna lie, I’ve never been in the PMAC in my life,” Gates exclaimed to a sea of students and diehard fans alike.“Thank you for having me.”
Before Gates began his roughly hour-long setlist, DJ C-Mix was on deck to animate the wave of people entering the doors. His set included rapper Darker Parker, who also happens to be an LSU student, as he faithfully covered 21 Savage’s crowd-pleaser “a lot” and showcased an impressive vocal skillset. The end of C-Mix’s set saw numerous PMAC attendees compete in a jigging contest to humorous effect.
But as Gates finally took the stage to rapturous applause, it was apparent who the crowd was waiting for. Clad in a grey sweatshirt, joggers and a host of chains, Gates was in a mood to boast – and judging from his reactions from the LSU faithful, it was welcomed with fondness.
The rapper started off in a surprisingly sentimental mood, crooning through a sea of phone flashlights and noise.  As Gates rolled through “Imagine That” from 2017’s “By Any Means 2,” he proceeded to jump up on the speakers and address the crowd like a great orator.
The sheer gravity of Gates’s hits rattled the walls of the arena and was catharsis for a crowd that sounded like they knew every single lyric. From the authority displayed in fan-favorites like “Kno One” and “Posed to Be in Love,” to the raw tenacity displayed in songs like “4:30 AM,” Gates was giving the people what they wanted.
“Y’all gotta sing the words for me!” Gates exclaimed before rolling into “Thinking With My D**k,” a Tigerland anthem for the better part of the decade which elicited the largest reaction from the attendees.
And although Gates wasn’t able to thrive in the more raunchy parts of his discography, he still managed to find loopholes and address the audience in his signature sensual manner — namely playing bachelor to the many females under the PMAC ceiling.
“They didn’t say I couldn’t talk slick so the charges don’t stick,” Gates remarked jokingly.
The playful banter was earnest throughout the night, from restarting “Perfect Imperfection” to the point of hilarity to a ridiculous skit introducing smash hit “2 Phones” featuring — you guessed it! — two phones.  And Gates led the entire PMAC in prayer at one point, expressing thanks and counting his blessings.
As Gates closed with “I Don’t Get Tired” and the confetti poured down from the rafters, Groovin’ concluded with a bang.
Although the night was a well-organized study in the art of Baton Rouge hip-hop, one couldn’t help but clamor for more Gates. The blisteringly fast setlist barely made an hour of performance time.
In addition, many were upset over the inability for Gates to let his lyrics do the talking, the most notable among these being former LSU running back and Washington Redskins player Derrius Guice.
“I didn’t like how they didn’t let him curse,” Guice said. “I didn’t understand that part. Like the students, they curse all day… I feel like the show would’ve been more exciting, you know? It is what is is.”
Regardless of the circumstances, Gates’s return to the city that made him was an explosive and sharp display of one of rap’s up-and-coming stars. And he was grateful for all of it.
“I love y’all with all my heart… y’all are one of a kind.”

Gallery • 4 Photos

Naif Othman

Dj C Mix performs at the Groovin' concert in the PMAC on Thursday night.Mar.14.2019.