Review: G Herbo’s Swerv and Friends at United Center a decade-in-the-making celebration

Twelve years deep in rap, G Herbo took a lengthy path to his first headlining show at the sold-out United Center.

Choosing the independent route when major labels signed his neighborhood friend Lil Bibby, Chief Keef, Lil Durk and Lil Reese meant he had to work twice as hard. On top of having been banned from performing in Chicago venues early in his career until Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, he endured repeated trauma from losing back-to-back friends to gun violence, legal troubles including being sentenced to three years’ probation for wire fraud and lying to federal agents, and a nasty breakup with record label Machine Entertainment Group.

Seeing G Herbo successfully pull off Swerv & Friends Part 2 — a show that is exclusively performed in Chicago — at a venue like the U.C., after performing at the much smaller Wintrust Arena in 2025, feels like a decade-in-the-making celebration.

Evan Burger

From his music to his children, he carries his Essex block from 78th to 79th Street in South Shore with him as the neighborhood that shaped him. This extends to his set design: He recreated the now-closed Smokehouse Steak & Lemonade restaurant, which stood on the corner of 79th and Essex, on stage where he was perched early in the evening. It was an expansion of the set design he had for 2026’s Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash. I found it inspiring to see remnants of the neighborhood I used to live in recreated to tell his story.

After DJ Pharris and rapper/streamer/friend BenDaDonn warmed up the crowd, G Herbo hit the stage at around 9 p.m. Kicking off with the bone-chilling “At The Light”, “Kill S---,” and “4 Minutes of Hell,” bangers from his critically acclaimed debut mixtape “Welcome To Fazoland,” he sent a clear message that this show is strictly for the Day One fans as he performed each of his songs in chronological order.

“My pain is your pain. I rap for y'all”, G Herbo tells the crowd.

Following the same format at Wintrust in 2025, he spent two hours on stage, rotating his superstar friends and wardrobe changes throughout. This year brought GloRilla, Peezy, YTB Fatt, 21 Savage, Belly Gang Kushington, Yung Miami, rap legends Twista, Fabolous (stepfather of Herb’s romantic partner Taina Williams), YFN Lucci and co-headliner Young Thug. The show was also a late birthday celebration for G Herbo; as performers left the stage, they told him “Happy Birthday Swerv.”

G Herbo returned to perform the rowdy crowd favorite “Rollin’” and one of his deep cuts, “Just Bars.” He also blessed the fans with his lyrical firestarters “Who Run It (freestyle)” and “Neva Cared,” showing why he’s known by many as one of the best rappers from Chicago today.

Evan Burger

For all the fun in his music, there’s heartache. Herb performed his sobering “Malcolm” with a captivating intensity while the crowd sang along word for word. Same with “Red Snow,” drawing attention to intracommunity gun violence. And hearing the late JuiceWRLD’s hook on G Herbo’s mental health PSA, “PTSD,” as fans held their phone lights in the air was chilling. Benny Da Jeweler also gifted him a diamond-studded chain with a giant, round pendant in honor of Herbo’s late father, who died in 2024.

Chance the Rapper came out to perform “No Problem.” In a confusing performance choice, he did not perform his verse on “PTSD.” His collaborations with Herbo on “PTSD” and “Everything (remix)” are some of his best verses; he missed the opportunity to create a unique moment for such a monumental night.

As a pioneering drill rapper, Herbo was one of the first teens to bridge traditional hip-hop and drill music. Under the tutelage of Chicago rapper-turned-manager Mikkey Halsted, his well-crafted lyricism and visceral, heartfelt content earned him critical respect and veteran cosigns that drill music lacked at the time. Swerv and Friends was a celebration where Chicago saw G Herbo rise from the 78th block of South Essex Avenue, 7824 S. Essex Ave., despite the pain and bloodshed, to reach well-deserved heights.

Set list for Swerv and Friends Part 2 Nov. 6, 2026 at United Center

G Herbo Act I
At The Light
Kill Shit
4 Minutes of Hell

Looze Cannon
Big Michael Michael

G Herbo Act II
Rollin
Just Bars

YTB Phat
I GOTCHA B----
Get Back
Secrets

Peezy
2 Million Up

G Herbo Act III
I Like
Pull Up

Belly Gang Kushington
Friend Do
WTF Goin

G Herbo Act IV

Neva Cared
Man Now
Malcolm
Red Snow

GloRilla
Whatchu Know About Me
Typa
TGIF

Fabolous
Ball DropMake Me Better

G Herbo Act V
Some Nights (Homicide)
Focused
Wilt Chamberlain
Hood Cycle

Twista
Overnight Celebrity
Wetter pt 2

G Herbo Act VI
Swervo
Who Run It Freestyle

Yung Miami
F U
TMTC w/ G Herbo
Spend Dat

G Herbo Act VII
Ridin Wit It
PTSD

Chance The Rapper
No Problem

YFN Lucci
Jan. 31st (My Truth)
Heartless

G Herbo Act VIII 
Statement
Blitz

Young Thug
Digits

G Herbo Act IX
Verse from Nardo Wick’s Who Want Smoke

21 Savage
Who Want Smoke (reprise) w/ G Herbo
Verse from Peaches and Eggplants
WTF Goin duet w/ Belly Gang Kushington

G Herbo Closer
Went Legit