Drake and 21 Savage paid a significant tribute to Virgil Abloh as they began their It’s All a Blur Tour.
In celebration of their collaborative album Her Loss, which they released together with 21 on Wednesday night (July 5), the Toronto native kicked off his first tour in five years at the United Center in Chicago.
As Illinois was the late fashion designer’s home state, it was only right that Drizzy introduced a huge statue of Abloh on stage during the performance.
He remarked on stage, “Please make some noise for one of the most significant people I’ve met in this field. Make a sound in honor of one of the finest minds ever to exist.
He continued, “Virgil Abloh is our brother and a member of our family. Let’s show some courtesy.
On his Instagram Stories, Drake also posted a picture of the statue with the caption, “Our brother is watching.”
Virgil Abloh famously threw a kite down the catwalk at a Louis Vuitton presentation during Paris Fashion Week in 2018, and the moment was recreated in the statue.
Drake previously paid tribute to the creator of Off-White on his solo album Honestly, Nevermind from 2022, and he also has a tattoo of the motif on his forearm.
After battling illness for more than two years while serving as Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director, Virgil Abloh passed away on November 28, 2021, at the age of 41.
Drake paid tribute to him by writing, “My plan is to touch the sky 1000 more times for you,” when he passed away. “Thank you for everything, brother. I love you forever.”
Drake also played a career-spanning set on the first stop of his tour, including more recent hits like “Way 2 Sexy” and “Sticky” in addition to earlier hits like “Over” and “Headlines.”
Later, 21 Savage took over for a 12-track set of his own before the duo came together for a five-song finish that included some of their biggest joint efforts.
Drake performed “Look What You’ve Done” on a couch next to a hologram of his younger self as part of the opening act of the event after making his way through the audience to the stage.
When discussing his upcoming album For All the Dogs, which he unveiled last month to go along with his new poetry collection Titles Ruin Everything, he occasionally made another allusion to it.
“I scan the faces around me. He yelled, “I know it’s summertime, but I gotta give you sh*t!” as the crowd cheered. “I have no idea about these men that leave for three, four, or five years just to relax and do all that garbage. I am not that.
“With that said, I will shortly be releasing an album for you guys. For All the Dogs is the name of it. I frequently overhear folks saying, “Damn, we miss that old Drake.”
I know what you mean, he continued. You need more music so that you can, for example, feel happy about your new partner, humiliate your ex-partners, act wild and intoxicated, and express your love for your friends and family.
Check out the full setlist for Wednesday’s show below:
Drake:
Look What You’ve Done
Marvins Room
Say Something
Shot For Me
Can I
Feel No Ways
Jaded
Jungle
Over
Headlines
The Motto
HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)
Started From the Bottom
Energy
Know Yourself
Nonstop
SICKO MODE
Way 2 Sexy
BackOutsideBoyz
Jumbotron Shit Poppin
Laugh Now Cry Later
God’s Plan
Childs Play
Wait For U
In My Feelings
Nice For What
Controlla
Too Good
Find Your Love
Fountains
Work
One Dance
Calling My Name
Massive
Sticky
Search & Rescue
21 Savage:
Red Opps
Don’t Come Out the House
10 Freaky Girls
Who Want Smoke??
Peaches & Eggplants
Rockstar
A Lot
No Heart
X
Runnin
Mr. Right Now
Bank Account
Drake & 21 Savage:
Knife Talk
On BS
Spin Bout U
Jimmy Cooks
Rich Flex
Drake (Encore):
Legend
