G Herbo Marks First Solo United Center Headline With Swerv and Friends Part 2
The South Shore rapper performed a two-hour set featuring 21 Savage, Young Thug, and Chance the Rapper during a celebration of his career.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
G Herbo headlined a sold-out concert at the United Center on November 6, marking his first time performing as a primary act at the venue. The event, titled Swerv and Friends Part 2, was exclusive to Chicago and served as a milestone in his twelve-year career in rap.
The rapper chose an independent path early in his career, unlike his neighbors Lil Bibby, Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and Lil Reese, who signed with major labels. He faced early bans from Chicago venues under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration. He also endured the loss of friends to gun violence and legal issues, including a three-year probation sentence for wire fraud and lying to federal agents. A difficult split from Machine Entertainment Group added to these challenges.
The show design incorporated elements from his home neighborhood in South Shore. The stage featured a recreation of the Smokehouse Steak & Lemonade restaurant, which was located on the corner of 79th and Essex and has since closed. This set design expanded on visuals used for the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash in 2026.
DJ Pharris and BenDaDonn opened the night. G Herbo took the stage at 9 p.m. He performed songs from his debut mixtape, Welcome To Fazoland, in chronological order. He told the crowd, “My pain is your pain. I rap for y’all.”
The performance lasted two hours. G Herbo rotated through a list of guests that included GloRilla, Peezy, YTB Fatt, 21 Savage, Belly Gang Kushington, Yung Miami, Twista, Fabolous, YFN Lucci, and Young Thug. Fabolous is the stepfather of G Herbo’s romantic partner, Taina Williams. The concert also functioned as a belated birthday celebration for the rapper, with performers wishing him a happy birthday as they left the stage.
During the show, G Herbo performed “Rollin’” and “Just Bars.” He also delivered freestyles for “Who Run It” and “Neva Cared.” He performed “Malcolm” and “Red Snow,” which address personal loss and intracommunity gun violence. During “PTSD,” a mental health track, fans held up their phone lights. Benny Da Jeweler presented him with a diamond-studded chain featuring a large round pendant in honor of his late father, who died in 2024.
Chance the Rapper performed “No Problem” later in the set. He did not perform his verse on “PTSD,” despite the two artists having collaborated on that track and “Everything (remix).”
G Herbo emerged as a pioneering drill artist. He was among the first teens to blend traditional hip-hop with drill. Under the management of Mikkey Halsted, he built a reputation for crafted lyrics. The set list concluded with “Went Legit.” The next scheduled performance date for this specific tour leg is not listed in the set list provided.
