Vince Staples brought “Cry Baby,” one of his most crtically acclaimed records to date, to South Side Ballroom on Friday night.

Elijah Smith for Dallas Observer

Since he first entered the rap game in the blog era of the early ‘10s, Vince Staples has always been critical of the quote-unquote “American dream.”

Back in 2017, Staples went viral after tweeting “the national anthem don’t even slap,” after more than 200 NFL players sat or knelt during the National Anthem in response to President Donald Trump calling for team owners to “fire” any player who “disrespects our flag.”

The cultural and poltical commentary was hardly a novel concept to him, though. Songs like “Fire” from his 2014 “Hell Can Wait” EP detail growing up in survival mode in Long Beach. A fan favorite called “Street Punks” from his 2015 debut album, “Summertime ‘06” serves as a reminder that only the strong survive. With his latest album, “Cry Baby,” Staples transcends genre while doubling down on his music’s past messaging. And his Friday night show at South Side Ballroom served as an energetic protest, bringing together fans of his craft — both longtime and newfound.

“It’s been about five years since we’ve been to Dallas,” Staples said on Friday. “Let’s show them what we’ve been up to.” 

Elijah Smith for Dallas Observer

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Staples’ name doesn’t often come up with the Drakes, the J. Coles, or the Kendrick Lamars with whom he came up alongside (though he has collaborated with the latter two). But among that blog era class, he’s been the most consistent with developing his craft. With “Cry Baby,” his first album since his departure from Def Jam and his seventh overall, Staples combines political rap with rock and punk instrumentation. He touches on police brutality and socioeconomic inequality by way of vivid storytelling and symbolism — that translates to his live performances.

When he arrived to stage, Staples was backed by a women-led rock band. Standing in front of a giant crib with a humongous, morbidly obese baby (presumably modeled after Trump) bawling, he opened the show with the “Cry Baby” cut “Only in America,” on which he points out the inconsistencies of patriotic talking points we’ve been sold our entire lives. “You can live by the gun, die by the gun / You can lie, you can steal, house on a hill,” he rapped.

The California artist was joined on stage by a familiar-looking crying baby.

Elijah Smith for Dallas Observer

He continued into more “Cry Baby” tracks, like “The Running Man” and “White Flag” before sharing anecdotes he’s received from fans throughout this album’s era: “I got fans asking me ‘Why are you making rock music?’ Whatever the fuck that means.”

Staples later acknowledged how his fan base has grown over the years — many of us were introduced to him during that aforementioned blog era. Some only recently got to know him through guest appearances on “Abbott Elementary” and his cancelled-too-soon Netflix series “The Vince Staples Show.” On Friday, asked the audience, “How many of y’all have been here since ‘Hell Can Wait?’” then he asked how many fans were new. For either answer, it was about an even mix of hands.

Staples’ new record leans into rock music.

Elijah Smith for Dallas Observer

“It’s been about five years since we’ve been to Dallas,” Staples said. “Let’s show them what we’ve been up to.” 

He then performed “Fire” and “Street Punks” as well as “When Sparks Fly” from 2022’s “Ramona Park Broke My Heart” and “Étouffée” from 2024’s “Dark Times” — his swan song with Def Jam. Though “Cry Baby” is arguably Staples’ most cohesive album to date, his old cuts fit into Friday’s set seamlessly. It was a testament to Staples’ storytelling.

Staples jumped back into the “Cry Baby” tracks as fans danced and jumped throughout the set, some of whom were even headbanging, leaning into the rock sensibilites he mentioned earlier. Energy was at its peak toward the end of the set, when Staples performed “Blackberry Marmalade,” the song that kicked off the “Cry Baby” era.

Staples’ set on Friday spanned from songs off “Cry Baby” to his early blog era hits.

Elijah Smith for Dallas Observer

What sets Staples apart from his peers is his ability to evolve while remaining true to his principles. In his heart of hearts, he’s always been political without waxing sanctimonious. His lifelong sobriety has never made him self-righteous. And even before signing to an independent label, he was always openly critical of the major label system and its treatment of hip-hop artists. 

Now, with one of the best albums of his career — and perhaps one of the most important albums you’ll hear all year — Staples has cemented himself as one of the greats of his time. And “Cry Baby” is one you need to experience live.