How Oakland-Born Dancer Konkrete Ended Up on Tour with Beyoncé

There’s no doubt 2023 was the year of Renaissance. Beyoncé took her critically acclaimed seventh studio album on the road and broke records, bringing in over $500 million in ticket sales and doing her part to revitalize the U.S. economy. She was declared an honorary mayor of Santa Clara when she played a sold-out show at Levi’s Stadium in August. Then, similarly to Taylor Swift, she cut a deal with AMC to directly release her tour movie in theaters across the globe last month, bypassing major studios.

It is in that movie that many fans noticed a familiar face — or perhaps neck — from the Bay Area. One of the dancers on the tour, Kevin “Konkrete” Davis Jr., appeared onscreen with a tattoo of an oak tree with roots, a variation on the City of Oakland’s official logo.

Davis spoke to KQED about his Oakland and Sacramento upbringing, how he landed a spot on Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour and his favorite spots to hit up when he’s back in the Bay.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was in my seat on the opening night of the film in Emeryville, your neck tattoo got a loud reaction from the crowd, pleasantly surprised to see the Town represented in this way. What’s the story behind it?

I was born in Oakland, I’m strictly from the Town, but I was raised in Sacramento. I moved to Sacramento in third grade, then moved back to Oakland — did a lot of back and forth, the whole Northern California trip, if you know what I mean. But I got this tattoo because Oakland is my roots. And it’s like a code, because there are people from the Bay everywhere, especially in the entertainment industry. When they see my tattoo, they go, “You’re from Oakland, huh?”

Was there a local crew or dance studio that you came up in?

To be honest, a lot of my dance upbringing was more freelance. I used to just gig in the clubs and, you know, battle in the streets. The only studio that I was involved with was in Sacramento, called Step I, and I was with my brother Phil [Tayag] from The Jabbawockeez. He had this crew called Boogie Monstarz. I used to go in there and watch people.

Tell me about getting the call for Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour. Was she on the line? How did you react?

I was actually just shooting some content with some of my homies when I got the call from the choreographer. And they said, basically, “Bey wants you.” So I was immediately like, “Excuse me, what do I need to do?” That was an exciting call, man. It lets me know that what I’m doing is working.

Beyoncé saw my stuff through one of the choreographers of the tour, Tia Rivera, who I’ve known since moving to Los Angeles. Bey saw my work and she said, “Him.” It’s crazy. I was just krumping in little videos, and posting them on social media, you know? That was like a real blessing right there.

I’m curious — was training and rehearsing for this tour different from your other jobs?

It was forever training. I mean, we trained the whole time to make the show better. We rehearsed for it nonstop for a few months before the tour, and it was a challenge for us. It was a challenge for Beyoncé, as well, because she wanted to do something that’s never been done before. We did it, though. Of course, it was difficult. I’m not a person that does choreography like that — I know how to tap into it, and I’ve done choreography over the years, but this was the most choreography I’ve ever learned. And it just paid off.

It sure did. That was clear when I attended the show in Santa Clara over the summer. What was your favorite part of the show? Did you have a favorite song to perform?

It was “ENERGY.” One of my favorite artists, BEAM, is featured on that song, and Bey put me right in the front with her with my brothers Rob Bynes, Zavion Brown and Justin “Jus’t” Chase. That was the one where I feel like we all just connected and had that crazy energy. I’m a krumper, so I’m a theme for “ENERGY,” you know? That was by far my favorite part.

Is that your favorite Beyoncé song?

Every time I pick one song, another song pops up. Like her new song right now, the one that she just dropped. It’s called “MY HOUSE,” and it’s my current favorite. I was like, “Oh, she’s still dropping music.” She’s always setting the tone. And I’m blessed to be a part of her era.

What’s the reaction been since the film was released? Have people that recognized you or your tattoo been reaching out to you?

Oh, for sure. The City of Sacramento has been posting me on social media, and a lot of folks from Oakland noticed the tree. I get a lot of hits from family back home in Oakland. They’re just letting me know how proud they are and how inspired they are because I’m from the same soil. I just want to let my people know out there that the Bay Area kids shine in the industry. Two of the people that shine to me are Rich and Tone Talauega; they came out of the Bay and they’ve danced with Michael Jackson for years. There’s something special about us — it’s no tea, no shade.

How would you describe this tour and what it meant to you on a personal level?

I think the dopest thing that I pulled from this tour was the family aspect of Beyoncé. She got her family in there — it’s a family business. It makes me want to get together with my family and collaborate. We’re already close. This tour gave me the vision, it cleared everything up for me.

What’s next for Konkrete?

I actually want to take my career and put it in another country, just to see what it will do. Right now, people from other countries that may not be African American are inspired by the culture. That’s what I believe. I want to go down to these places, like South Korea, and actually inspire them to continue to do what they’re doing, because hip-hop was never meant to be gatekept. I want to collaborate with different cultures and learn about them, and share my gift with them.

And, of course, I want to push more music out. That’s just a gimme, man, I push music out with or without money. It’s just a love for it.

Last but certainly not least, what are your favorite spots in Oakland that you must visit when you’re here?

When I’m in the Bay, I think I always go to the spots where I went as a kid, places where I made good memories. I know Lucky Three Seven in Fruitvale, that’s where I have to go first. Jack London Square of course, because I’m a hipster. My grandmother used to live in Emeryville, so I’d go there. I go to Lake Merritt and Mosswood Park — I used to play ball with my dad at Mosswood when I was little. Orbit Coffee downtown goes crazy. Oakland is just home for me. I want to retire in Oakland, to be honest. I want to be in the Town when I’m old.

‘Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé’ screens at select AMC locations in the Bay Area. In San Francisco, The Castro Theatre will host a screening Saturday, Jan. 6, at 8 p.m.