Vince Staples is not the kind of artist to repeat themselves. The Long Beach-bred multi-hyphenate has seemingly spent the last three years in the studio, racking three masterful studio albums since 2021. With every release, you see an evolution within Staples. Whether he’s exploring more melodic flows, strengthening his storytelling abilities, or venturing into new territory, Staples’s ceiling and stock continue to rise. Staples hasn’t toured much for his past three releases and all that changed this year when the artist set off on his Black In America earlier this month. Last night (October 21), the artist brought the tour through Philadelphia. Staples pieced together a monstrous 26-song setlist for a packed Franklin Music Hall on an unseasonably warm night in Philly as fans were gifted a dream setlist filled with hits, B-sides, and even some older Vince Staples cuts.
Before Staples hit the stage, soul singer Baby Rose put on a clinic in range for her opening set. Coming off the release of her stellar BADBADNOTGOOD EP, released earlier this year, Rose is on track to be a significant figure in the burgeoning modern soul scene. Her live show only solidifies this sentiment as Rose put together a beautiful performance that preached a message of love while simultaneously showcasing her prowess as a pure performer. With just her and a guitarist on stage, Rose ran through some select cuts from her short yet potent discography. The low register of her voice echoed throughout the high ceilings of Franklin Music Hall as her acrobatic vocals jumped from deep baritone to soaring falsettos. Her jazzy influences are emphasized in a live setting as her moving balladry primed the Philly crowd for Staples.
Staples is a pure performer, an artist you must see live whether you consider yourself a fan or not. With an American Flag waving and neon-lit stairs strobing behind him, Staples wasted no time diving into his deep catalog. Staples started with “Black&Blue” from his 2024 LP, Dark Times, a criminally underrated release from this year that got plenty of love during Staples’s Philly tour stop. He performed the stunning single “Shame On The Devil,” whose downtrodden tempos and longing lyrics become even more palpable live. Staples also pulled out deep cuts like “Nothing Matters” and “Freeman” from Dark Times. Most of the setlist came from Ramona Park Broke My Heart, Staples’s catchy 2022 LP. Tracks like “Papercuts” and “Rose Street” are even bouncier when performed live, and the nuanced sentimentality of cuts like “The Beach” and “AYE (Free The Homies)” gain ever more meaning coming straight from Staples’s mouth to the crowd.
Staples also focused on his 2021 self-titled effort, pulling out hits like “Are You With That?” along with some dream B-sides like “Sundown Town” and the energetic “MHM.” Staples didn’t shy away from his back catalog either. He included throwbacks from Big Fish Theory, FM!, and even reached back to his stellar debut album for a performance of “Norf Norf.”
It’s been established that Vince Staples will go down as one of the best Hip-hop artists of his generation, and if you don’t believe it, see these songs live. Staples doesn’t just go out and perform his songs, he creates a world to get lost in during his performances. The artist’s stop in Philly yielded a career-defining setlist that explored the deepest corners of Staples’s discography as the artist’s lack of touring over the past few albums was nowhere to be found. Staples now heads up north for a show in Toronto on October 23 before bringing the Black In America tour back to the States for stops in Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, and more. You can check out Staples’s upcoming tour dates and the full setlist from last night’s Philly performance below.
