By the time Lil Yachty stepped onto the stage at Chicago’s own Radius, the room was already barely holding together.
The air was thick with smoke from the venue’s machines, mixed with haze drifting from the crowd and artists throughout the night. Lights cut through the fog as thousands of fans packed together, waiting for the next beat to drop.
Bodies moved in every direction, mosh pits opened without warning and security pulled fans over the barricade as the chaos intensified. Water flew from the stage. Dollar bills were thrown into the crowd. Every few songs, another circle opened on the floor.
And somehow, for four hours, the energy never disappeared.
The U.S. debut of Red Bull Setlist at Radius Chicago on Oct. 24, was designed around giving fans a voice before the concert even began.
Through voting on social media and the Red Bull Setlist website, fans selected the songs they wanted to hear, shaping Lil Yachty’s 37-song performance before he ever walked onstage. The concept was simple: let the audience build the night, then let the artist turn it into something bigger.
In Chicago, that meant more than just choosing songs. It meant celebrating a city that has influenced hip-hop for decades – and an artist who has always had a connection to it.
Although Yachty is best known as an Atlanta rapper, Chicago has played a role in his story since childhood. His grandfather lived in the city when Yachty was young, and he spent time here growing up. Throughout his career, he has also cited Chicago legends such as Common, Kanye West and Twista as influences while collaborating with a newer generation of artists, including Chief Keef and Lil Durk.
That history made Chicago a fitting location for Red Bull Setlist’s first U.S. stop, especially with support from Lyrical Lemonade, the Chicago-based platform founded by Cole Bennett that has helped shape the sound and visuals of modern rap.
Before Yachty took over the stage, the night belonged to Chicago’s rising talent.
Red Bull Setlist’s mobile recording studio traveled throughout Chicago beginning Aug. 1, giving local artists the opportunity to record freestyle verses over three locally produced beats. From 10 rappers selected by Lyrical Lemonade, Chicago rapper and DePaul alumnus Myquale was chosen as the winner and earned the opportunity to open the show.
The opening performances immediately matched the intensity that would define the rest of the night. Myquale and the other performers – including Thirteendegreez, BabyTron, Kels!, Concrete Boys and Preme – refused to stay separated from the crowd. Artists jumped into the audience, joined mosh pits and threw water into fans as the line between performer and audience disappeared.
By the time Yachty arrived, Radius was already at full volume.
The stage screen announced that fans had voted for “Broccoli” to open the set, but when the stage went dark, Yachty appeared with “Save the Savior” instead. The unexpected switch briefly caught fans off guard, but the confusion quickly turned into excitement. “Broccoli” eventually appeared later in the night, adding another unpredictable moment in a show built around audience participation.
Yachty’s performance itself was a reminder that he has never fit into one category.
Backed by an all-female live band featuring two singers, bass, drums, keys and electric guitar, he transformed the traditional rap concert format into something closer to a full-scale rock performance. The live instrumentation gave new energy to his catalog, keeping the crowd moving through a setlist that jumped between eras of his career.
The night was not without its imperfections. Yachty paused several times throughout the performance to address issues with his in-ear monitors, explaining that he could not hear properly. Instead of letting the technical difficulties derail the show, he laughed with the audience and continued performing.
Those moments felt fitting for a night built around unpredictability.
Yachty signed a fan’s vinyl record from the stage, joined with Teezo Touchdown during the guest appearance and drank a Red Bull mid-performance. Teezo brought his own brand of absurdity to the stage, wearing his signature eccentric style, including denim shorts with dollar bills tucked into the waistband. Later, Yachty added to the spectacle by throwing the bills left on stage into the crowd.
When Teezo joined Yachty onstage, the room erupted all over again.
By the final songs, the room was still shaking – smoke hanging in the air, fans still shouting lyrics and mosh pits still opening across the floor.
For a concert built around letting fans decide what happened next, the real choice was clear: Chicago wanted chaos, and Lil Yachty delivered.