Cardi B, Latto & The LOX: Summer Jam 2023’s 10 Best Moments

After stunting his momentum with a string of controversies, DaBaby has a rising hit on his fingers along with his TikTok-conquering “Shake Sumn.” The “Bop” rapper shocked the Summer season Jam crowd with a efficiency of “Shake Sumn” that includes a fan enthusiastically twerking beside him. DaBaby additionally carried out a little bit of his breakthrough hit “Suge” earlier than doing “Shake Sumn” another time and thanking the viewers for permitting him to take the stage.

Earlier than Scorching 97 unleashed the principle present inside UBS Area, the festivities started outdoors the venue on the Defiant X Warner Information competition stage. Along with her signature blue hair, Connie Diamond whizzed by a medley of her hits together with “Pose,” “Run It Up,” and “Transfer.” Her backup dancers introduced the power of traditional B-girl perspective with matching airbrushed shirts, blue wigs and intense choreography. Making an attempt to win over a competition crowd is not any straightforward feat — particularly in New York — however by the tip of her set, Connie completely rapped her method into the viewers’s hearts.

French Montana leaned into the collaborative nature of Summer season Jam by sharing his stage with a slew of youthful expertise. After screening the trailer for his forthcoming For Khadija documentary, the Grammy-nominated rapper carried out hits of his personal — together with the Swae Lee-assisted “Unforgettable,” “Pop That” and “Shot Caller.” The Bronx rapper then introduced out each Luh Tyler and NLE Choppa, who carried out his newest hit, “Slut Me Out.” Remy Ma additionally joined the “Ain’t Anxious About Nothin” rapper for a rendition of their New York traditional “All of the Means Up.”

As documented in her Rap Caviar episode and the weak introduction to final night time’s set, Coi Leray has endured a seemingly insurmountable quantity of hate and bullying as she navigated the primary few years of her mainstream music profession. Nonetheless, the “No Extra Events” rapper fearlessly conquered the principle stage with a few of the night time’s most intricate and spectacular choreography. Whether or not she was flaunting her rap chops with “Bops” or incorporating each the unique and Jersey remixes of her smash hit “Gamers,” Coi flew by her set with ease and confidence, simply delivering one of many night time’s most well-put-together units.

Though Lil Tjay made his return to the stage final September, the love and help for the Bronx rapper crammed UBS Area final night time. Whereas the “Calling My Telephone” rapper didn’t have his personal particular person set, he did seem as a particular visitor for a pair of the night time’s performers. He joined Ice Spice onstage for a flirtatious efficiency of “Gangsta Boo,” and he got here out as Fivio Overseas’s visitor for a rendition of “Zoo York.” Every time the rapper graced the stage, the world erupted in cheers.

Final yr, Lil Tjay suffered seven gunshot wounds on account of a botched theft try. The connection between gun violence and the modern hip-hop scene has dominated a lot of the discourse across the style in recent times, so a second the place town can come collectively and uplift a survivor like Tjay is all the time essential.

Brooklyn rapper Lola Brooke has had a breakthrough yr with the success of “Don’t Play With It,” and her stage present has grown in tandem along with her stardom. A couple of months in the past, Lola’s tendency to dash round onstage grew to become the stuff of Twitter memes, however the “So Disrespectful” rapper has been fastidiously honing her efficiency type. Flanked by a number of backup dancers decked out in coordinated forest inexperienced outfits, Lola flaunted her rap abilities and dancing capability all through her satisfying set. Outdoors of “Don’t Play With It,” “Simply Loosen up” drew the strongest viewers response, a possible Music of the Summer season within the making.

Scar Lip’s “This Is New York” has develop into town’s newest new anthem — and if Summer season Jam 2023 was something, it was the coronation of Scar Lip as town’s brightest new star. On the competition stage, the ferocious Bronx rapper ripped by “This Is New York,” drawing the liveliest and most passionate response from the group all day. With Funk Flex standing behind her beaming like a proud uncle, Scar Lip commanded the stage with a stage of presence akin to a longtime reside act. Throughout the principle present, The LOX introduced out Scar Lip because the definitive illustration of hip-hop’s new college, a shocking co-sign that bridged the hole between the a number of generations of hip-hop within the constructing final night time.

Probably the most anticipated performers of the night time, Ice Spice delighted festivalgoers as she delivered a medley of her hits, together with “Princess Diana,” “In Ha Temper,” and PinkPantheress duet “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2.” Proper after the Bronx rapper completed performing her breakthrough single “Munch,” she was shocked along with her very first Gold plaque. Awarded to her in commemoration of “Munch” promoting over 500,000 models within the U.S. alone, the plaque reminded audiences how spectacular Ice’s meteoric rise has been. Along with that shock, the “Bikini Backside” rapper additionally introduced out Lil Tjay for a “Gangsta Boo” efficiency, Kali and Kenzo B for an “Space Codes (718 Remix)” rendition, and Flo Milli for “Immodest.”

As hip-hop celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, conversations and debates concerning the style’s numerous evolutions and divides are as current as ever. With this yr’s lineup virtually completely that includes modern hip-hop’s greatest new names, The LOX was the de facto illustration for the outdated heads. In what was simply one of many night time’s most rapturous units, The LOX ripped by performances of “Good Occasions,” “Mighty D-Block,” and “Kiss Your A– Goodbye.”

The long-lasting rap group additionally introduced out two artists to characterize these within the style who’ve influenced them, and those that they really feel are one of the best illustration of the style’s present period. Newcomer Scar Lip rocked the world with a characteristically fiery rendition of “This Is New York,” however when Rakim took the stage as Jadakiss known as him one of many “forefathers of hip-hop,” the world knew they have been within the presence of legends. Closing with Jadakiss rapping most of “We Gonna Make It” a cappella, The LOX’s set was one of many highest factors of this yr’s Summer season Jam.

Predictably, Cardi B, the night time’s headliner, delivered the one greatest set of the night time. Starting with an elaborate newspaper-themed set to kick off her efficiency with a rendition of “Press,” Cardi’s efficiency simply drew the largest cheers from the principle stage crowd. The Grammy-winning rapper ripped by her classics and more moderen hits with a mix of explosive reside mixes and eye-popping choreography. A gaggle of youngsters received sturdy to “Shake It,” stripper poles have been stationed on both aspect of the stage for “WAP,” a tease of Brazilian funk throughout “I Like It” injected the Scorching 100-topping hit with new life. Like nearly all of the night time’s performers, Cardi introduced her share of particular company. 21 Savage graced the stage for a rocking rendition of “Bartier Cardi,” GloRilla got here out for “Tomorrow 2” (which included an cute Annie-inspired anime intro), and Latto appeared for the reside efficiency debut of the pair’s new “Put It on da Flooring Once more” team-up. With unmatched power and a wise visible eye, Cardi dominated Summer season Jam.