Live from the Apollo, it’s Drake.
After delaying the shows twice, the rapper made his triumphant return to the stage for his first performance in years at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem for SiriusXM on Saturday night, with special guests including 21 Savage and the Diplomats.
He took fans on a trip down memory lane, performing a 40-song set of his biggest hits and deep cuts that spanned his legendary career. As Variety reports, he kicked off the 90-minute show in a replica of his childhood bedroom in his mother’s basement while wearing a “Degrassi” jersey.
“I’d like to play some of the songs that took me this far,” he told the crowd. “Whenever I’m still writing to this day, I think about sitting on this bed in my mom’s basement just trying to figure it out. I’m gonna play you some of the shit that got us out of here.”
While his mom and celebrities including Justin Bieber, A$AP Ferg, Kevin Durant, and Ice Spice looked on, he performed slower songs like “Over My Dead Body,” “Trust Issues,” and “Marvins Room.”
He kicked up the pace for the second act, transforming the set to a record label boardroom as he rapped “Best I Ever Had,” “Over,” and “Headlines.” The hits continued with “God’s Plan,” “One Dance,” and “In My Feelings.”
He also paid homage to Harlem by bringing out the Diplomats, who entered through a bodega door. Drake donned Cam’ron’s actual pink mink as he performed “I Really Mean It,” “Dipset Anthem,” and “We Fly High (Ballin)” with Cam, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, and Freekey Zekey.
Drake honored the iconic Harlem group and gifted them with a custom OVO x Dipset bracelet. “These guys right here from Harlem made us dress different, talk different, walk different, rap different all the way in Canada,” he said.
Joined by 21 Savage, he took it to present day while performing cuts from the duo’s chart-topping album Her Loss for the first time including “Rich Flex,” “Privileged Rappers,” “Knife Talk,” and “Jimmy Cooks.”
He also confirmed that he and Savage plan to hit the road on a tour later this year. “We’re gonna be out on the road this summer,” he said.
And more music is on the way. Before leaving, he hinted that he may drop another album this year.
“I appreciate all of those people that stick by me. I know it’s like a cool thing … to be like ‘f**k Drake’ … but I deeply appreciate everybody for continuing to support us,” he said.
“I’ve thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time none of those things are stopping making music for you, so I’ll be here for you for a little bit at least. And I hope I can strike up more emotions for you, maybe this year. I might get bored and make another one, who knows!”
He capped off the epic evening with “Legend,” reflecting on his monumental career. “I don’t know how the f**k we made it here, but we did,” he said.
Drake will do it all again tonight with a second show at the Apollo. Fans can relive the show on his SiriusXM channel Sound 42.
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
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