Images: Schoolboy Q, Joey Bada$$ October 16, 2016 at Brooklyn Bowl Vegas

By way of Los Angeles, Top Dog Entertainment signee and Kendrick Lamar confidant, Schoolboy Q, made his way to a sold-out show at Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl on Oct. 16, touring in support of his sophomore album, Blank Face.

The line for admission stretched both ways up and down the Linq with a mixture of all races and ages (18 and up, of course), and I spotted many a fan paying homage to Schoolboy’s signature bucket hat and dashiki look.

Opening the show was Brooklyn native and Pro Era founder, Joey Bada$$. 20 years ago, the thought of west coast and east coast hip hop artists going on tour together would be unheard of, but the signs of the times show rap is more unified than ever before.

Joey warmed up the crowd by performing singles from his 2015 debut B4.DA.$$, such as “Big Dusty,” “No.99” and “Christ Conscious,” along with throwbacks like “Waves,” some unreleased work, and ending his set with his latest radio hit “Devastated.”

As the night continued, Mackwop, Schoolboy Q’s DJ, came out to keep the energy going, playing radio hits, beloved hip hop throwbacks like Tupac’s “California Love” and recent bangers like A$AP Rocky’s “Lord Pretty Flacko.”

As Schoolboy Q appeared on stage in a sudden burst of flashing light, wearing a black windbreaker and round sunglasses (sans signature bucket hat), you could feel the entire venue jump along with him. He opened with Blank Face track “By Any Means,” then flowed into crowd favorites like “Gansta,” “Hands on the Wheel,” and the big single from 2014’s Oxymoron, “Collard Greens.” The stage was sparse, just with Schoolboy Q and his DJ, Mackwop, but the fans were his hype man and their energy wasn’t letting down.

Half way through his set, Schoolboy admitted to being a failure of a father only four years ago, and went on to express his gratitude for fans allowing him to provide for his daughter, stating “she now goes to one of the best schools in L.A.” He then jumped straight into “Studio,” picked up the energy with “Hell of a Night” and “JoHn Muir,” and closed out the night with his latest radio hit, “That Part.” The L.A. rapper thanked his sold-out crowd as the stage faded to black, and the crowd filled with light, dispersed throughout the venue, surely thankful for what was indeed a hell of a night.

-Armin Bravo