The image of the rising sun was projected on a massive vertical screen that was wedged between two risers on the stage. While the DJ on the other riser queued up the beаt for the late Harry Belafonte song “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” a drummer started pounding down a steady beаt on the riser on the left. Dewayne Michael Carter Jr. stood in front of the rising light, sporting his now-famous “hippie” outfit of flannel pants and an oversized sweater.

Underneath an enormous hat, his blonde hair cascaded down his face, exposing the heavy shades he had just pulled on to shield his eyes from the intense, flashing lights on stage. The moment the MC picked up the microphone, the screen behind him went completely white, and the crowd went crаzy as a well-known kιck drum blasted over the speakers. The marching cadence that was now filling the House of Blues was matched by the words “6 Foot, 7 Foot” that flashed across the screen. Lil Wayne’s Welcome to Tha Carter Tour was met with thunderous applause from the crowd.

Wayne is celebrating his nearly three decades in music with a tour that was called after his seminal album series and was unveiled at the beginning of this year. The trip will visit 28 locations in North America. Starting his career in 1995, the New Orleans MC went from being a member of a duo with labelmate B.G. to being a part of the Hip Hop powerhouse The Hоt Boys. He then went on to run the Cash Money label independently while pursuing his solo career. Finally, he became CEO of Young Money and introduced the world to artists such as Nicki Minaj and Drake.

For many, it’s a difficult effort to condense 30 years into just one hour and fifteen minutes, especially with such a powerful resume and inventory. Wayne performed with effortless grace, soaring through mixtape hits, album cuts, and featured tracks with a finesse that came from years of touring.

Many fans noticed that the venues weren’t as big as you would think for an artist of Wayne’s caliber when the tour was announced in January. Although the rapper could have easily secured and packed some of the city’s bigger stadiums, he opted for more intimate settings at places like the House of Blues. For the supporters who were fortunate enough to obtain a ticket, it was a wise decision.

“I was surprised that it was here because I’m used to seeing him in large stadiums,” Carl Moore remarked. However, he entered this place and performed as though he were in the Toyota Center. He had a pretty good stage presence, and the concert was fantastic. He is an all-time great, as evidenced by his interactions with the audience and his song changes.

Wayne was careful to offer fans just enough information before moving on to the next song, so transitions were crucial. Lil Wayne kept the performance going with hits ranging from mixtape staples like “Canon” to album cuts like “Mr. Carter” and “Lollipop,” allowing fans to join in and get into the music without spending too much time on any one song. After an hour, the Hollygrove native had performed over forty songs, occasionally even fusing two songs together, such as “Back That Up” and “Uproar.”

Throughout the concert, the MC expressed his gratitude to the audience numerous times, even mentioning one of the city’s most cherished sports teams.

The MC added, “I want to send a special thank you to the Houston Astros,” during a brief intermission during the performance. “Today, they showed me such love.” I felt very loved today by Houston.

To the House of Blues audience The celebration of Lil Wayne’s career on Tuesday night was not to be missed. The MC performed well enough to earn the title of “best rapper alive,” in his own words.