
Denzel Curry. See more photos from Rolling Loud 2019 day three here.
Photo by Sage Pacetti
Kevin Gates. After watching Kevin Gates’ performance at Rolling Loud, I can say with conviction he's the sloth of the rap world. Before you start typing out hate mail, that’s not a knock on the Louisiana rapper. Sloths are dope. The comparison works because Gates was calm, assured, methodical, and didn’t move around very much. In spite of this lackadaisical stage presence, which would likely be received as boring if exhibited by other rappers, Gates came across as thoroughly confident. Over the course of his set, he projected an air of superiority yet somehow eschewed the accompanying air of condescension. In an unexpected twist, after scorching through the hits “Really Really” and “2 Phones,” Gates took a moment out of his set to pray for the fans who came to see him and wish them a safe journey home. He said he offers that prayer at every show, describing it as “simple and gangster,” which doubles as a fitting summary of both his performance and his persona. — James Biagiotti
Kid Cudi. Kid Cudi’s Sunday-night headlining set, which closed out the 2019 festival, was one of the few big shows of the weekend to go off without a hitch. Yes, he took the stage a full hour late, but that’s just par for the course at Rolling Loud. Cudi delivered the same strange, otherworldly set he used at Coachella last month, which transformed the Loud stage into what appeared to be alien terrain. Along with many solo hits, Cudi broke out material from Kids See Ghosts, his recent joint project with longtime collaborator Kanye West, and even included a performance of Kanye’s “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1.” Though Cudi may seem like an outlier in the 2019 Rolling Loud lineup, he proved to be an inspired choice to close out the weekend. After an extremely long and exhausting three days, he ended the fest with positivity, nostalgia, and vibes that were laid-back in comparison to most of the weekend’s acts. It was a welcome departure from the status quo, and the perfect last set before leaving Rolling Loud 2019 in the rearview mirror. — James Biagiotti

Megan Thee Stallion. See more photos from Rolling Loud 2019 day three here.
Photo by Sage Pacetti

Lil Uzi Vert. See more photos from Rolling Loud 2019 day three here.
Photo by Sage Pacetti
Gucci Mane. You know Gucci Mane is coming to the stage when his trademark ad-lib “It’s Gucci” is played 11 times back-to-back by his DJ. Gucci has graced the Rolling Loud stage several times before, but fans proceeded to lose their shit when the god of trap walked onto the Audiomack stage. Shirtless and wearing diamonds that glistened under the stage lights, he came prepared to deliver the word of trap. Gucci gave fans what they wanted. He ran through his greatest hits, including “Freaky Gurl,” “Lemonade,” “I Don’t Love Her,” “Both,” and “I Think I Love Her.” It truly isn’t a Gucci Mane show without his wife, model Keyshia Ka'Oir. “I think I need to bring my wife out here,” he said over the mike. She took the stage wearing an aqua-blue tank top, biker shorts, and matching blue hair, and the crowd was instantly reminded what a bad bitch looks like. She hyped him up through a few songs as Gucci continued to keep trap music alive. — Cristina Jerome