Kevin Hart headlined the 17th annual ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans where he performed before 50,000 fans at the New Orleans Superdome.

During his performance at the Superdome, Hart reportedly included pyro flames into his routine:

“Do y’all see my fire?” he asked an eager crowd, referring to the dazzling pyro flames shooting from the stage floor. “You gotta be a big deal to have fire, people!’ he said, admitting that the idea was inspired by Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Watch the Throne” concert. He declared himself the first comedian to add pyro to his routine and would randomly cue the flames to remind the crowd just how awesome he is.

The comedian also cracked jokes about himself:

Dressed in a black and white Louis Vuitton tee-shirt and black jeans, Hart quickly got in his zone, relying on the self-deprecating humor that’s made him one of the current kings of comedy. He spent the next hour telling a compendia of tales about everything from his penchant for lying (“It’s a disease,” he joked), male friends who can’t keep secrets, and his horrible luck with bodyguards – one once told him to play dead during a shootout at a club.

He also celebrated his 33rd birthday on Friday (July 6) with a star-studded bash hosted by the magazine.

Celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Trey Songz, LisaRaye McCoy, Michael Ealy, Tisha Martin-Campbell, and more helped Kevin celebrate his birthday at The Saints Hotel.

Check out pics from the party and his performance at the Superdome!

Pics via ESSENCE/Kevin Hart