Ferdy Damman / EPA US rapper Kanye West performs during his concert at the HMM stadium in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 28 February 2013.

It’s not like 21-time Grammy Award winner Kanye West needed more hype for his ongoing tour. “Yeezus” has received critical acclaim from across the board — the late, great Lou Reed was amongst those gushing over the album — and his stage performance is more off the hook than ever.

Still, his Kansas City appearance in the 18,500-capacity Sprint Center on Tuesday, featuring not only the lyrical genius of Kendrick Lamar but also a guest appearance by homegrown rapper Tech N9ne, only managed to draw a meager crowd of 4,500, reports the Kansas City Star.

Perhaps it has to do with West’s recent spray of controversial statements. But during an eight-minute monologue, ‘Ye’ managed to sound almost repentant. “I don’t always say the right things at the right time,” he said. “I’m better at saying the wrong things at the wrong time.”

[Kansas City Star]