The following article includes music containing explicit content.

“I wanna make everyone feel beautiful tonight,” Aminé said. “When I say ‘You’re beautiful,’ I want everyone to say ‘I know.’”

Aminé’s dynamic set on Jan. 29 was interrupted time after time for this refrain. Whenever Aminé screamed “You’re beautiful,” thousands of voices responded, “I know.”

The tour’s merch reflected Aminé’s famed sense of humor. One shirt said “I went 2 the Best Tour Ever and it was the best tour ever.” I opted for a long sleeve that had Aminé photoshopped onto Morpheus from “The Matrix.”

The stage was spectacular. It was adorned with all sorts of iconic parts of Portland. The Alberta Market sat on the left of the stage. In the middle was the Broadway Bridge with Mount Hood in the background. Signs for the Rose Garden and Woodlawn Park were on the right — along with a massive statue of Aminé’s dog Oliver.

After two hours of waiting and an underwhelming opening from Mic Capes and Cousin Stizz, the lights dimmed, and Aminé strode out of the Alberta Market to begin the night with “Shimmy,” his lead single from his sophomore album “Limbo.” The energy from the crowd was undeniable, and you got the sense immediately that this was about to be an unforgettable night.

Aminé has always proudly represented Portland. He grew up in Northeast Portland, and graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School before dropping out of Portland State University to pursue his rap career. He has made repeated references to Woodlawn Park, including a song about the park itself, and often features Rip City landmarks during his music videos. His video for “Shimmy“ serves as a de facto tour of Portland, traveling through places such as PDX International Airport and Tryon Creek.

Aminé pulled out all the stops for his Portland homecoming. He brought out Vine star Rickey Thompson to introduce the show, to the delight of hardcore fans. Thompson lent his trademark flamboyance to Aminé’s 2018 mixtape “ONEPOINTFIVE” as well as his 2021 mixtape “TWOPOINTFIVE.”

The biggest surprise of the night came when Aminé performed “Pressure in My Palms.” When his verse came up, rapper Vince Staples strode out of the Alberta Market to rap it. Staples then performed his song “ARE YOU WITH THAT?” before giving Aminé a hug and bounding offstage.

Aminé has expressed his love for the Spice Girls many times, and he proved it once again. After a spectacular performance of his 2017 hit “Spice Girl,” he transitioned into “Wannabe,” the iconic 1996 Spice Girls mega-hit. 

But the night’s highlight came near the end of the concert. Aminé began playing a song that had everyone confused – until they realized it was an alternative version of his breakout single “Caroline.” The song soon transitioned into its original beat, and everyone lost their minds.

Aminé explained that he wrote this song when he was still in college, before he dropped out. It was a truly magical and poetic way to cap off an amazing show.

As he finished up his set, Aminé thanked everyone who came to the tour. He said it was a dream come true to play the Moda Center and said that he intended to bring his Portland-inspired stage to every city.

When he walked off the stage and back through the door of the Alberta Market, everyone in the crowd knew one thing.

Portland has a superstar on its hands.