Kevin Abstract performs during Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2024. Mariana Garcia/STAFF.

SAN FRANCISCO — Kevin Abstract, the cofounder of the former self-proclaimed boy band of hip-hop, Brockhampton, did a lot with little at Outside Lands on Friday. The rapper and singer performed the penultimate slot at the Sutro Stage, and without expensive production or props, he drew in a sizable crowd away from the festival’s biggest stages.

How’d he do it? Kevin Abstract has charisma for miles.

The artist, whose name is Clifford Ian Simpson, walked on stage after his DJ played pop and dance tracks by Charli XCX, Fitz and The Tantrums and Grouplove, and immediately hopped off the stage to sing directly in front of fans in the pit that separated GA and VIP ticket-holders. He leaned backward right into their arms, singing opener “RED LIGHT,” followed by “BIG DOG.”

Kevin Abstract performs during Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2024.

“Love conquers sex and desire, OK,” he rapped over and over.

Afterward, he decided he preferred the fans to the stage.

“I’mma stay her for a second. This feels cool,” he said, kicking into the melodic and downright poppy “Tennessee,” which included parts of Kanye West’s “Paranoid.” Now making his way back, he got somewhat lost.

“How do I get back on stage!” he shouted for help, adorably. Once he was finally back, he did some spins on stage.

Songs like “Empty” and “American Boyfriend” continued to show off his pop and rock cred. The latter was a sweet pop ballad that, taken alongside his more aggressive rapping, explains much of Brockhampton’s success.

Kevin Abstract performs during Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2024.

Next came a set of four Brockhampton cuts, but before he got around to them, he spotted a female fan asking to be on stage with him.

“Did you confuse me for Daniel Caesar?” he asked her, referencing the next performer on that stage.

Nonetheless, he pulled up both her and a man, instructing them to “pretend you’re every member of Brockhamptom for the next four songs.”

“Pretend you know this shit!” he said, also demanding that the crowd open a mosh pit as well. The two fans on stage danced all the way through, losing some sweatshirts in the process.

These songs included the aggressive and masculine “GUMMY,” “BUZZCUT” and “STAR,” as well as the prescient “RZA,” on which he recounts a conversation with his mom where she encourages him to keep Brockhampton together.

Kevin Abstract performs during Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2024.

“This is a good setlist!” he commented afterward. Again, adorable.

Back to his own songs, Kevin Abstract picked up the pace with melodic ballad “Peach,” switching from rapping to singing and back; and “Baby Boy,” rocking back and forth to the song’s jagged guitar strumming.

“I got lost in that. It’s too real,” he said afterward.

He rounded out the performance back in the audience singing “Georgia” and “Texas Blue Poppy,” and ended on an exclamation point with punk rock tune “Blanket.”

Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter. Follow photographer Mariana García at instagram.com/marianagphoto.