J.I.D & Smino have both been making a ton of a noise individually in the hip hop circuits as mainstage contenders. Given they have a shared fanbase within the Zoink Gang realm, it only made sense for the two of them to co-headline the JID + Smino Luv Is 4Ever Tour across North America in 2023. The 32-date tour name is a play on both of their recently released projects: JID – The Forever Story (8/26/2022) and Smino – Luv 4 Rent (10/28/2022). The last time both artists were in Los Angeles, they had strong showings individually headlining some of the smaller venues in town. This time around, combining forces and leaning into their shared fanbase via Zoink Gang, they packed out the Hollywood Palladium not once but twice on back-to-back nights on 1/30/2023 and 1/31/2023. Let’s hop into it.

First up was the Atlanta native, SwaVay. The crowd was very receptive to the opening act. Typically, due to the nature of the music, it’s not uncommon for crowds to sort of just sway back and forth when hearing out openers. If you don’t know the music or the lyrics, it’s hard to get into it. I get it. SwaVay also got it. To counter-act this, the rapper engaged the audience by physically reaching out to the rail and encouraged a higher level of energy throughout the crowd. The crowd reciprocated and set the tone for the co-headliners to follow.

I understand J.I.D and Smino have been trading off who starts and ends the night throughout the tour; JID was batting leadoff at the 1/31/2023 show. In front of two inverse heart-shaped video monitors, J.I.D dealt a wide array of rapid-fire raps and got the crowd hyped from the front to the back. A few notable moments were when he performed the songs, “Crack Sandwich” and “Stars”. He brought out a few guests as well, most known were the members of EARTHGANG. It was a Spillage Village reunion up on stage. Closing it out was Smino. Backed up by a female vocalist, the St. Louis rapper/singer brought the temperature down and set a vibey tone throughout the crowd. He encouraged everyone to chant “I love you best friend!” to all the significant others who were brought to the show. Smino nailed many moments but some of my highlights were “90 Proof”, “Settle Down”, and “Wild Irish Roses”. Both JID and Smino were backed by full bands, with drum solos and guitar solos. The crowd was very receptive to the drum solos and guitar solos sprinkled in throughout the night.

After many years of hard work, these two 30-ish year old rappers are really solidifying their spots in the big leagues of hip hop. Packing out the Hollywood Palladium two nights in a row was just the start. They have back-to-back nights in Atlanta, New York, and Toronto, among other cities on the remainder of the Luv Is 4Ever Tour. Take advantage of this opportunity to see this double header. It’s not one you’ll regret!