Watching Gunna perform in Atlanta, to a sold-out crowd, is like watching a marathon where the winner keeps running long after the race is finished. It is as long as it is entertaining, and perplexingly impressive. This truth lingered in my mind for hours after leaving Gunna’s concert at State Farm Arena Tuesday night.
I had no idea what to expect before the show. It was my first time seeing Gunna live, and it was Gunna’s first time performing in his hometown since being released from Fulton County Jail in 2022. Earlier that year, Gunna was one of the original defendants named in a 56-count indictment alleging that YSL is a criminal street gang led by fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug. In December 2022, Gunna, born Sergio Kitchens, took an Alford plea, prompting the end of his involvement in the case
Gunna will not be asked to testify against the remaining defendants in the ongoing YSL trial. But that fact hasn’t stopped those on social media and other rappers―some of whom haven’t even spent a day in jail — from incorrectly labeling him as a “snitch” or “rat.” At Gunna’s hometown show, the final stop of his Bittersweet Tour, the rapper proved it’s going to take much more than grave misconceptions to knock him off his throne as a masterful entertainer whose showmanship has no competition.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
I fully believe in the euphoric magic that happens when a musician performs at home. That is especially true when the musician hasn’t performed there in years. Last year, Gunna performed his first post-jail headlining shows in Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles, notably skipping Atlanta. He made up for it Tuesday night.
The day of the show, I thought long and hard about what could happen at the concert and still had more questions than answers. It’s still hard to think about Gunna without thinking about the YSL trial. The day before, court proceedings for the trial resulted in Brian Steel, Young Thug’s lawyer, being sentenced to 20 days (10 weekends) behind bars — adding to the laundry list of disruptions in the lengthy trial. Would Gunna use the show as a moment to make a definitive statement about the trial? Would he say nothing about it at all? Would fellow Atlanta rappers support him during the show? Or would he perform alone? And the crowd? Would they be engaged?
My expectations were minuscule, but Gunna exceeded them beyond my wildest imagination. His Atlanta show was the best rap concert I’ve seen in years, and this is coming from someone who’s seen Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Megan Thee Stallion within the past year.
Alabama rap it-girl Flo Milli, dressed in a pink bodysuit and black fur boots, opened the show at 9 p.m. With a doll voice and the fierce energy of a cheerleading captain, she delivered a nearly 30-minute set with a set of fan favorites like “Bed Time,” “Beef” and “Never Lose Me.” Atlanta rapper Anycia surprised the audience with a performance of her hit “Back Outside.”
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Before Gunna hit the stage almost 20 minutes later, an abominable snowman thumped on a glacier-filled stage at the back of the venue. I felt like I was watching something straight out of “Game of Thrones.” Then, Gunna, who looked like he’d win best-dressed at a ski resort, graced the audience at the second stage to perform “Bittersweet,” the lead single of his recent album “One of Wun.” He rapped each line with the tenacity of someone who’s had a tough journey. He made me believe every word. Then, as he traveled through the crowd to the main stage, he aptly performed “Back in the A.” A big sign that read, “Welcome back to Atlanta Gunna,” in an old English-style font, filled the stage.
Gunna performed for nearly 2 hours with minimal breaks. And those breaks felt like they weren’t longer than four minutes. His set list was over 40 songs, and the crowd matched his high-octane energy every step of the way. I’d never seen anything like Gunna’s stamina. It was an effort that’d make Sha’Carri Richardson jealous. I felt like I needed to go to the gym.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
No song embodied this more than “Back at It,” a standout from last year’s “A Gift & a Curse.” For that performance, he ditched his winter fit for a gray T-shirt and sparkly pants. As he’s suspended in the air, with a sea of fans in front of him, he uttered the lyrics like he was fighting for his life. Even when his movement was limited, his motion somehow felt abundant. His voice became a bit shaky by the end of the song, but that didn’t tame his ferocious energy.
He pushed through his whopping set list as if he were doing a high-intensity workout — without a trainer’s guidance. He rapped songs like the despair-driven “Idk Nomore” with the fervor of a gospel song. He eased his way into older hits like “Drip 2 Hard” and “Met Gala.” He even dedicated a portion of his set to the women in the crowd to honor the sexier side of his artistry (2022′s “Banking on Me” is the perfect showcase of his hip-hop hunk persona).
The concert’s stage production was equally fascinating. He took the audience on a journey through his post-apocalyptic world filled with thrilling sound effects, striking visuals, flames and even hotter fashion choices. He made the stage his personal gym. Gunna is a bona fide star.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
And he never looked tired.
By the time, he got to the “[expletive]umean” part of the show, I assumed that would be his final song. After all, it’s his biggest solo hit to date. But, to my surprise, he performed at least three more songs after that. Throughout the entire show, he said few words, but he did show support for Young Thug. While repeating “Free Thug,” he performed their hits like “Ski” and “Hot.” The few times he broke from his performance was when he looked intently at the crowd, like he couldn’t believe the outpouring support.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
He ended Tuesday night’s show by introducing the crowd to his only surprise guests of the night: his family. Gunna greeted each of them as if he were at a family reunion. He never gave a proper goodbye to the audience. Instead, he started walking through the crowd to embrace fans. The power of Gunna’s performance lies in how much he looks and works like he never wants to leave the stage.
Gunna’s music is often riddled in monotony, but all of that subsides the moment he steps on any given stage. He makes his songs sound more convincing. His lyrics become their own fight. He makes you want to root for him. For his first arena tour, Gunna centered himself as an elite and effective performer who could give his peers some lessons.
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