If you happened to miss the rise of Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage, the first minute of his live show helpfully fills you in. Featuring projections of childhood photographs and soundbites from news reports, it traces his ascent from featured artist to bona fide superstar. Then comes the immigration-shaped bump in the road: in 2019, Savage was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and threatened with deportation. He is in fact a British citizen, had been living in the US undocumented for 13 years, and as a result had never toured outside of the country. But the rapper secured legal residence there in 2023, clearing the path to this first ever UK performance, which is both a homecoming and major career milestone.
Split loosely into three sections, the show races through Savage’s back catalogue. Launching with 2020 single Runnin, he blasts from verse to verse, but things really pop off during Dip Dip, from early mixtape Slaughter King, when Savage matches the playful production by bouncing across the stage while smoke cannons explode around him.
