Known for spitting frenetic lyrics at an oft-blinding pace, Kendrick Lamar has reached global fame for his West Coast hip-hop/progressive rap/jazz-imbued tunes and clever musings (who else references a bottle of Claritin in a rap song?).
Now, Houstonians can step out with the witty emcee when he hits Toyota Center on Friday, July 22 for his new Big Steppers Tour. The nationwide trek supports his new album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. He’ll also make Texas stops at Austin’s new Moody Center on Thursday, July 21, and Dallas’ American Center on Saturday, July 23.
Lamar will be supported by Baby Keem on all dates and Tanna Leone on select dates.
General ticket sales start at noon, Friday, May 20 online. Meanwhile, presale tickets will be available to Cash App customers via an exclusive ticket presale, beginning at 10 am Thursday, May 19. Get details here and here.
Boasting heralded albums such as DAMN and To Pimp a Butterfly, the California-born rapper, who is unabashedly proud of being straight outta Compton (the famed L.A. neighborhood), has gained a loyal following for his critique of current societal trends. “Take off them fabricated streams and them microwave memes — it’s a real world outside” he demands in “N95” a politically charged new song on Big Steppers.
The 34-year-old big stepper has scored 14 Grammy Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, seven BET Awards (including Album of the Year), and 19 BET Hip Hop Awards.
Comedian John Early is one of those “that guy” actors, having appeared in shows and movies like Broad City, Neighbors 2, Portlandia, Late Night, and Search Party without ever being the lead. So he’s taken it upon himself to give himself bigger exposure by writing, directing, and starring in the new film, Maddie’s Secret.
Early plays the titular female character who works as a dishwasher with her best friend Deena (Kate Berlant) at a food video content company called GourMaybe. When a homemade cooking video shot by her boyfriend Jake (Eric Cahill) goes viral, Maddie gets bumped up to on-camera talent, soon becoming the face of the company, much to the chagrin of rival Emily (Claudia O’Doherty).
With that added exposure comes more scrutiny in the form of online comments, many of which point out Maddie’s fuller figure and clear enjoyment of the food she makes. This criticism triggers Maddie’s bulimia, a condition she thought she had under control. Not wanting to lose her coveted spot, Maddie tries to keep her bulimia from everyone around her, something that becomes increasingly difficult to do.
If that sounds like an ABC afternoon special, that’s because that’s the vibe it seems like Early is going for. The film feels like a melodrama, with many of the actors speaking in unnatural cadences to make situations seem more intense than they actually are. That gives the film a natural comedic tilt, although Early makes sure to have everyone play their scenes straight, letting the ridiculousness of the story speak for itself.
Early playing a woman is oddly not part of the joke. According to him, the performance is not him doing drag, and he never plays the role in an over-the-top manner or like he’s making fun of the character. In fact, it’s striking how earnestly he inhabits Maddie, as if he truly was trying to get into the skin of a woman who found herself in such a situation. Anything funny that comes from him is just part of the progression of the story.
Setting the film in the world of food vlogging is the one area where Early seems to actively be going for jokes. Maddie and Emily come up with creations that seem reasonable and off-the-wall at the same time, like a Rotel dip made with French techniques. Characters also frequent real L.A. restaurants with punny names like Naughty Pie Nature, making fun of the food scene as much as they are exalting it.
Early definitely holds the viewer’s gaze in his first lead role, allowing Maddie to become a fully-realized character. His scenes with Berlant and Cahill make the film, as each of the supporting actors commit to their roles and elevate Early’s writing. Other standouts include Connor O’Malley as the boss at GourMaybe, Kirsten Johnston as Maddie’s mom, and Vanessa Bayer in a late-film cameo.
Because Early is not trying to make a full-on comedy, many may come away perplexed by Maddie’s Secret. But the film is clearly made with intention, giving a slight send-up of both 21st century food culture and a loving homage to the cheesy TV movies of the past.
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Maddie's Secret opens in select theaters on July 3.
