“Three nights in a row, three nights headlining, three different sets, three different vibes. You name another artist who could do that, bring them up here, and we could clash right now. Anybody,” Drake challenges the audience midway through night two of his historic three-night run at Wireless Festival. It’s big talk from the Toronto rapper after possibly the most bruising stretch of his career. Since his public defeat to Kendrick Lamar in rap’s most high-profile beef in years – and a messy legal battle with his own label – Drake’s grip on the culture has felt shakier than ever. The loss cut even deeper when Lamar took home five Grammys for “Not Like Us” – the fatal blow in their diss exchange – and performed it in front of 134 million eyes during the Super Bowl halftime show.
There are only so many Ls one man can take, and Drake has desperately needed a one-up for a while now. So what better way to redeem himself than a sold-out three-night residency at the 20th anniversary of London’s Wireless, in a city where he’s consistently been loved, even when his image falters elsewhere?
