Cash Money honcho Birdman, Rick Ross join Drizzy at sold-out show, as he shouts out Lil Wayne, honors Aaliyah.
By Jayson Rodriguez
Drake performs in Miami Monday
Photo: Alexander Tamargo/ Getty Images
MIAMI — For Drake, even as the venues get bigger, his performances grow more intimate.
On the second date of his Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour — the sophomore headlining trek for the Toronto lyricist following his Away From Home outing earlier this year — Drake was ever the gentleman, as he catered to a single invited guest onstage at the James L. Knight Center, despite all of the shrieks from the sold-out crowd.
“Stay right there,” he told concertgoer Veronica. “Let me take my time.”
With that, Drake casually walked over to the young woman, took her hand and began slow-dancing with her. “Hold on,” he shouted to the audience, pausing only a minute in. “If you have a camera on your phone, stop.”
The Thank Me Later star then proceeded to grind even more slowly with the lucky fan as a twin billing of “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)” and “A Night Off” boomed throughout the arena. On a night when everyone from LeBron James to Bow Wow was backstage watching the concert, Drake was instead fully focused on his fans. He sang, chatted and basked in their adulation.
Kick-starting his set with the “9 a.m. in Dallas” freestyle, Drake was nimble for the first 30 minutes of his set: “The Resistance” quickly transitioned into “Karaoke,” “Successful,” and “Fireworks,” before giving way to Young Jeeyz’s “Lose My Mind” remix. The Birdman (”Money to Blow”) and Rick Ross (”(B.M.F.) Blowin’ Money Fast”) joined Drizzy later on during his performance, as did his Young Money/Cash Money Billionaires fam, Tyga and Mack Maine.
But despite the big-name cameos, it was those who weren’t present that took priority on Tuesday night (September 21). At one point, Drake’s DJ, Future, played a stirring Aaliyah tribute. The late singer’s “One in a Million,” “Miss U” and “At Your Best (You Are Love)” played on the venue’s massive speakers and led right into the Aaliyah-sampling “Unforgettable.”
Young Money CEO Lil Wayne, though, seemed most unforgettable on the humid fall night. During Drake’s take on his breakout hit “Best I Ever Had,” he urged the audience to shout “Free Weezy” to his “Young Money.”
“When I say, ‘free,’ you say, ‘Weezy,’ ” he chanted with the crowd.
The psychedelic-inspired lights on the stage shot lasers out into the stands and Drake, decked out in cargo pants and army fatigues, beamed as his boss received ample helpings of approval from the audience.
“You can thank me later!” he yelled as fireworks shot out from behind the stage.
Were you at Drake’s Miami kick-off shows? What did you think? Tell us your impressions in the comments!
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