“I’m just like all of you”: A chronicle of Duki’s historic debut at River

“Duko has just arrived, I put my feet on the ground and anything can happen,” he said with certainty in Caja Negra, in a sort of scoop. Although his hunch didn’t fail, neither he nor his fans were prepared for what was to come: consecration in two shows sold out at the River Plate Stadium (2 and 3 December). And, despite having mentioned on several occasions that it was all part of a dream, around 75 thousand people witnessed what seemed so unimaginable, a first night that marked a before and after in the history of Argentine trap. It took him only forty songs, over the course of a little more than two hours, to position himself as an artist difficult to classify, a singer who does not mind fitting into the canons of the industry. In the build-up, the expanse of the field was brimming with youth: teenagers and twenty-somethings who seemed to be reflected in it. The show, in Duki’s words, embraced that shared identity: “I’m not going to be the rockstar, the John Lennon, the Slash, I’m Mauro Ezequiel Lombardo and I’m just like all of you.” Anxiety throbbed in their bodies as they took a breather before indulging in the rhythm of greatest hits, led by opening acts CNO, Klan and Acru. The climax of the excitement began at the long-awaited time: 9:00 p.m. After a brief fifteen-minute delay that intensified the anticipation, the chords of “Givenchy” flooded the stadium. Although he managed to conclude this track successfully, the second, “Otro Level”, was interrupted due to the agitation of the audience. Immediately, he asked to facilitate the passage of those who were unwell in order to continue with the show. Once the crowd regained calm, the rapper, being the youngest to fill the stadium, resumed his performance with “Tumbando el Club”. In the first part of the recital, she wore a renewed look: braids and an all-black ensemble, transporting the audience to a stage that evoked a Martian landscape. Wrapped in a set that took him through diverse landscapes, yet all connected by the same universal essence, the show was embellished with references to galaxies, rocky deserts, volcanic eruptions and other geographical phenomena, all forming part of the backdrop to his performance. The LED screens were accompanied by visuals that made more real that fantasy that he presented in his last album “Antes de Ameri”. Between songs, the rapper took the floor to address his followers. He expressed his gratitude to the public, highlighting the strength of Argentines as “great dreamers,” and shared his personal experience with sadness. “The other day I woke up from the conference sad because I was distraught and there were people who commented ‘oh this kid is a billionaire, he doesn’t lack anything,'” he shared emotionally, and then added: “It doesn’t matter how much money you have, the important thing is how you feel inside. If you’re sad, talk about it, tell it, tell people. Don’t be afraid to be sad, it’s what makes you strong.” “I’m a man and I’ve been crying since I was born, and thanks to that I became strong. So everyone who says that crying and being sad is wrong are all scumbags and don’t have balls,” he said and concluded: “If you have to cry, cry, and if you have to be sad, say so. And if someone calls them shit, they reply ‘You’re fucking fucking for not wanting to show it, Gil‘”. Duki, a “FusionThe event was not only a showcase of individual talent, but also a stage for artistic collaboration. After thrilling the audience, the rag picker picked up the momentum again with the performance of “As if it didn’t matter”, surprising everyone with the sudden presence of Emilia Mernes, his girlfriend. The crazed screams of the fans soared, sealing the moment with a kiss that moved those present. “Thank you for loving him so much,” said the pop artist, between complicit laughter with her partner and a look that reflected her palpable pride. But the singer’s participation wasn’t the only surprise of the night. Following the duo’s show, Khea took the stage to perform “Wacha” and “Hit Boy.” Before a short break, the stadium jumped to the rhythm of “Aerobic Remix,” featuring Bhavi, Milo J and LIT Killah. “Troy”, “01 de enero” and “Rockstar” were some of the many songs that followed. As rap flowed on his lips, he couldn’t hide his smile: “At first, I was afraid that this wouldn’t happen again, but now that I see you all here, I know it will happen again. And not just one more time, but as many times as you want. As long as they’re there, I’ll be tooé”. Then, in the same vein, he recalled his beginnings with Modo Diablo: “For those who know me recently, Modo Diablo was the group, it was the second family that I had, that we made up with YSY A, with Neo Pistea, the people who accompanied me at the beginning when I had stage fright, I didn’t know how to stand on stage, I didn’t know how to rap, They accompanied me all my first summer tour because I wasn’t ready to do it, I was afraid and they agreed leaving aside their ego, name and helping me grow and I will thank them for that all my life. Modo Diablo is the past, present and future of this musical genre.” Walking his 27 years all over the stage, he anticipated the closing of what was, perhaps, the best measure of popularity that Duki achieved during his career. However, the composer still had more tricks up his sleeve and the guests kept coming. One of the surprises was the appearance of Nicki Nicole, who burst onto the stage to perform “Ya Me Fui.” Then, Bizarrap joined in, triggering a frenzy in the stadium with the session Vol.50. We had already gone through its beginnings, now it was time for its present. That’s when FMK, Tiago PZK, Emilia, Rusherking, Lit Killah and Big One joined the stage to bring “Los del Espacio” to life – or, more life. With the explosive closing marked by the songs “Bis Rayo”, “Ticket” and “Goteo”, the night said goodbye in a mixture of emotions. When it seemed that he was leaving the stage, he surprised everyone by singing one of his most emblematic anthems, the one that took him to the top in 2017: “She don’t give a FO”. The audience indulged in the ecstasy of the song, and just as the melody faded, a fireworks display decorated the sky, putting an end to the first of what is sure to be many Rivers.

Original source in Spanish