It appears that under the aegis of hip hop diva Kanye West, fellow Chicago rapper Lupé Fiasco is learning how to perform. About a year ago, shortly before the release of his latest album The Cool, I was able to see Mr. Fiasco play as a mid-act artist at a Roots concert. Maybe it was simply because he was sandwiched between two sets by one of the greatest all-time live rap bands, or maybe because his hit single “Superstar” hadn’t yet become ubiquitous, but Lupé seemed tentative at the time, unable to control the crowd or the stage.

This summer he’s touring as an opener on Kanye’s “Glow in the Dark” tour. “There is a new yardstick for the size of the universe,” Jon Pareles wrote of the tour for The New York Times. “It is approximately equal to the size of Kanye West’s ego.” He went on to write that West’s cocky demeanor may be the key to his success as a performer.

Whether he’s picked up tips from West or not, Lupé played a confident, charismatic set Saturday night at Bonnaroo, leading the crowd in sing-alongs of his own songs. Mixing equally from The Cool and his first album Food and Liquor, Mr. Fiasco pranced back and forth across the stage, supported by a seven-piece band (not including the various back-up singers that emerged throughout the night, including Minneapolis native Matt Santos).

His interludes were a little too talky, as he spent a bit much time introducing each song in some clever way, but once he got to the actual music he thrived. Fiasco and a hype man criss-crossed on stage, shouting lyrics and trading chest bumps. The energy level remained high – and not in the drug-induced way of so many nighttime Bonnaroo concerts.

Most impressive, though, was Lupé’s trust in the crowd. It’s rare, I think – at least in mainstream hip-hop – to see such a young performer twist and tweak his songs so vastly in concert. Usually the impulse is to win over crowds by playing them what they know, how they know it. But renditions of “Kick, Push,” “Daydreamin’,” and “Superstar” were satisfyingly broken down, elongated, and improvised upon. It always adds a fresh touch to a show when an artist is willing and able to rearrange even his most standard songs, and it seems Lupé grasps the necessity of rejuvenation, making him one of the most promising acts out there today.