Kash Doll lights up Detroit: 'The Last Doll' concert review

I’m a Detroit girl, so I had an idea of the environment I’d experience at Kash Doll’s first show as she began The Last Doll tour. I love the energy a Detroit crowd brings to a musical performance and the engagement is flawless. At least from what I’ve seen in the past. The doors at Masonic Temple opened just around 7:00 pm as the line for the show was down the block. I’m pretty sure I got my steps in.

It was worth the wait to listen to fans dominate the acapella versions of Kash Doll’s biggest hits in 20-degree weather. The ladies were so dripped down in furs and custom varsity jackets I almost drove back home to get in formation. But that’s to be expected when Kash makes an appearance. It’s time for the city to step out, and the audience understood the assignment before the show started.

Detroit Barbie and Detroit Diamond open the show.

The Masonic Temple has ideal seating if you’re anywhere in the building. It allows for a decent crowd but maintains the intimacy necessary for fans to feel the presence of an artist. Ahead of Kash Doll, Detroit Barbie popped out in a custom Trap Dolls Boutique outfit and performed a couple of tracks, which included her new release “Twerksum.”

Born Tierra Cummings, Barbie posted an Instagram reel earlier this year where she celebrated the bell ring that signaled the end of her chemotherapy journey. I watched her on stage in complete awe. It’s one thing to vibe to someone’s music. There is a different connection that forms between the listener and artist when we know their story. It’s similar to how I felt as I saw Detroit Diamond hit the stage after a brief intermission in between sets.

Detroit Diamond was the first contestant we met during season two of Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow. Although she did not walk away victorious, her appearance made it obvious that she doesn’t plan on waiting for her turn. The crowd was receptive to her performance, even if they were unable to sing along. I recognized one of the songs from the show’s audition episode but not much else.

Diamond’s energy and my knowledge of her story offered another layer to the way I experienced her stage presence. It was a great opportunity to expose her to first-time listeners and a great follow-up to the industry moves she’s made thus far.

Kash Doll embodies Detroit passion and pride as her loyal fans show up to experience 'The Last Doll'

By this time, the audience anxiously anticipated Kash Doll’s arrival. DJ Angel Baby — the rapper’s official DJ — persuaded the crowd to light up the room with their phones and after a few minutes of encouragement, it was finally loud enough to bring out the star. As the backdrop lifted, “Klarity” began to play and we saw Kash Doll in a life-size imitation of The Last Doll cover art. Everyone simultaneously started to sing the introduction to her most recent album like a classic.

“Run Me My Money” was released almost 10 years ago, and the building rocked as the crowd took over the rendition of that song as well. Kash’s influence and chemistry with her fans is so authentic that it caught me off guard. As I said before, I’m a Detroit girl, so I’ve always admired her music and her journey to land at this point in her career. The lack of recognition she receives on a commercial scale is not an accurate depiction of the ones who truly love Kash Doll and continue to support the brand. And there are many.

It’s not difficult to understand why the fans see her as a homegirl. There were several moments throughout her performance that unveiled why they’ve developed this affinity. As “Ice Me Out” wrapped, Kash invited her best friend, Kendra P., onstage to ironically “ice her out” for her birthday. It only highlighted a characteristic of women’s relationships that we can all identify with.

For some of us, our friends are our family, and Kash Doll never wastes the chance to pour into the ones she loves. The loyalty is refreshing to witness. Just before DJ Angel Baby segued into “Comfy,” a track from The Last Doll, Kash made sure we remembered that she just separated with her father’s child.

The rapper’s verse in “Comfy” starts with, “First off, give me my respect. You can’t check a b***h with a check,” which gives you an idea of the revelation’s tone. With those words, she embodied a semblance of empowerment that many of the attendees could align with.

From her warm embrace of Detroit legend, Dej Loaf, to the arrival of Kashton, her son, on stage as she serenaded him with “Baby Boy,” Kash Doll is an incredibly talented rapper and performer. On the other hand, she’s also just Arkeisha Knight, your loyal homegirl and mother from the D.