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Drake performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on August 25, 2018 in New York City
Jamie McCarthyDrake and Migos gave Brooklyn a party Friday night (Aug. 31) as fans filled the cavernous halls of the Barclays Center for the highly-anticipated Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour. In support of his record-breaking number one album, Scorpion, the 6 God embarked on a 57-date tour across the country, hitting cities like Chicago, Toronto, Miami, and Boston.
With New York holding a special place in Drizzy’s heart, the Big Apple is getting quite the treatment with Drake and Migos performing seven shows in nine nights. It was an energetic night as both the 6 God and the Atlanta trio delivered incredible sets giving Brooklyn fans an exciting show to remember.
Migos got the night off to an explosive start as the group ran through their extensive catalog of hit records. Classics like “Hannah Montana,” “Handsome & Wealthy” and “Pipe It Up” delighted fans who rapped along. Migos’ electrifying presence brought on boisterous cheers from the Brooklyn crowd as highlights from Culture and Culture II, including “Narcos” and “Slippery,” rang through the Barclays Center.
Audio feedback issues during their set caused no problems, as they maneuvered through “Kelly Price” and “Deadz” without missing a beat. Before making their exit, Quavo praised the old and new fans for their nonstop support saying, “Thank you for making us the number one group in the world.”
As fans were still gathering themselves after Migos’ thrilling set, Drake wasted no time diving into the A Side catalog of his latest album, with hard-hitting tracks like “Talk Up,” “Mob Ties,” and “Energy” booming through the giant speakers stationed high above the stage.
Fans rapped alongside Drizzy on “Elevate” and “Emotionless” while marveling at the bright, miniature drones on stage and the inflatable yellow Ferrari making its rounds through the arena during Drake’s guest verse on “Yes Indeed.”
“This that Friday night Brooklyn sh**,” Drake said in response to the raw Brooklyn energy that radiated throughout the venue. “This not Madison Square Garden. We definitely in Brooklyn tonight.”
READ MORE: Drake Parties With Quavo And French Montana In “Nonstop” Music Video
Drake took a moment to speak on his long history with New York City before jumping into a medley of his throwback records. “Do you realize how long we’ve been together,” Drake asked as he reminisced on the moments he’s experienced in the city —- like his first performance at the famed SOB’s or hearing “Best I Ever Had” on the iconic radio station Hot 97. Fans wallowed in the retro vibes as Drake blazed through a vintage medley that included “Trophies,” “Over,” “Headlines,” “Yolo,” and more.
Migos, French Montana (who served as a surprise guest) and a group of backup dancers joined Drizzy on stage to bring the night to an even higher level. After their fiery set earlier in the night, Migos kept the momentum going with a lively performance of their collaborative banger with Drake “Walk It Talk It.” The quartet followed that up by rapping through their respective verses on “Versace” with quickfire precision. French Montana joined the party afterward, performing his standout chorus on Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s “All The Way Up” and his number one record “Unforgettable.”
After a brief intermission, Drizzy put a smooth relaxing vibe on the night as he moved on to his B Side records. Performing mostly R&B hits, Drake sang his way into the hearts of all the women in the audience belting out vocals for “Jaded” and the Michael Jackson-assisted “Don’t Matter to Me” while also covering the King of Pop’s timeless record “Rock With You.”
Acknowledging the strong, independent women in the audience, Drake had the ladies in their bag with “That’s How You Feel” and “Nice For What” while recognizing Brooklyn’s rich reggae history with “Controlla” and “Work.” The troupe of dancers joined him on stage once again, taking part in the Shiggy Challenge during a booming performance of “In My Feelings.”
READ MORE: #DoTheShiggy: Drake Brings Out Shiggy On Stage At NYC’s Madison Square Garden
As the show neared its end, a tireless Drake reignited the flames with his guest verses on Blockboy JB’s “Look Alive” and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode.” Drake kept his foot on the pedal with “Nonstop” and “I’m Upset” before taking another moment to reflect on his early beginnings.
A video montage showcasing a young Drake alongside his longtime friends and OVO brothers 40, Oliver, and Future played on the screen above the stage. The crowd cheered and applauded Drake’s 10-year journey that took him from his mother’s basement in Toronto to becoming one of hip-hop’s titans.
When the video finished, Drake got right into the anthemic “God’s Plan” with massive amounts of confetti falling from the rafters. While fans relished at the moment Drake left the OVO faithful with a moving, uncharacteristically sociopolitical message.
“All of us are living in a country where we have to deal with people telling us we don’t understand, how divided we are, and how bad sh** is getting and how we gotta deal with this fu**ing idiot that’s in office,” Drake said.
“They’ll sit there and tell us this country is falling apart because of us. But tonight we got 16,000 people from all different backgrounds inside one building and all we’re doing is chilling and having a good time. This is how the country should be.”
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“I know how to make the hard things look really easy,” Addison Rae tells the O2 Academy Brixton crowd, moving playfully across the stage in a glittering silver bikini and tall boots. She’s in the middle of performing ‘High Fashion’, her sultry track that’s more about longing for luxury brands than craving love. But when she hits that lyric, midway through the first of two packed shows at the south London venue, it feels just as much like she’s describing the way her career has unfolded so far.
Becoming a central pop act in 2025 isn’t simple, especially for someone trying to win instant respect with only a handful of tracks and completely reinvent themselves from influencer to credible rising star with genuine cultural weight. Yet Rae has pulled it off, a shift she only really kicked into motion a year ago with the release of ‘Diet Pepsi’, the lead single from her first album, ‘Addison’. Tonight’s show proves how far she’s come, from inviting two fans dressed in throwback versions of her past outfits to join her on stage for a cover of Charli XCX’s ‘Von Dutch’, to sly references sprinkled throughout her set, an Arca remix of ‘Obsessed’ surfacing for a moment, a Britney Spears-flavored twist on 2023’s ‘I Got It Bad’.
Rae has also mastered the trick of looking like a seasoned pop headliner with ease. Before starting her headline tour of the UK and Ireland in Dublin earlier this week (August 25), she’d only played live a small number of times, two intimate album launch parties at The Box in New York and London, an opening slot for Lana Del Rey at Wembley Stadium in July, and a showcase at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Yet at Brixton she moves like someone who’s been doing this for years, the only slip showing when she breaks character to squeal happily at her fans. “Wow, you’re so loud!” she laughs at one point. “I feel so lucky to be here; it’s such a dream come true.”
Addison Rae. Credit: Samir Hussein
When she’s not bubbling over with gratitude for the crowd, Rae delivers an ecstatic hour of perfectly polished pop. Before she even steps out, wrought iron gates stamped with a bold A slide open across the stage, pulled apart by dancers in neon outfits straight out of Spring Breakers. Rae emerges high on a podium as ‘Fame Is A Gun’ kicks off, dressed in a navy swing dress. By the end of the song, her dancers pull away the outer layer, leaving her in a glowing, fluorescent look underneath – a visual metaphor for stepping fully into fame.
‘Summer Forever’ shimmers with dreamy brightness, ending in a steamy routine with dancer Patrick that leaves them sprawled on the floor, faces inches apart. “Oh my god, Patrick! I might even say that was to die for, but I’m not looking for anything serious right now,” Rae jokes afterward – a cheeky quip that brushes up against corny when you realize her next track is 2023’s ‘2 Die 4’. It’s one of the rare missteps of the night, along with the sometimes clashing visuals, Rae tries to merge. She blends gothic southern elements with glossy LA-style touches, nodding to both her Louisiana roots and California life, but the lack of a clear storyline keeps it from fully landing.
The audience doesn’t seem to care, though. They scream along to every chorus, especially when the singles drop. ‘Aquamarine’, ‘Headphones On’, and ‘Diet Pepsi’ all spark wild sing-alongs that feel more like celebrations for a veteran artist than a newcomer. For the finale, Rae stages one more theatrical moment. Sitting on a podium in the center, dressed in a corset and dramatic tulle skirt, she lets the lights fall to black before the music surges back with a key change, sparks pouring across the screen behind her. Once again, she makes something difficult appear completely effortless.
Addison Rae played:
‘Fame Is A Gun’
‘I Got It Bad’
‘New York’
‘Summer Forever’
‘2 Die 4’
‘Von Dutch’
‘In The Rain’
‘High Fashion’
‘Aquamarine’
‘Headphones On’
‘Money Is Everything’
‘Obsessed’
‘Times Like These’
‘Diet Pepsi’
