Photo: Instagram/Vic Mensa
The last time this writer saw Kanye West play London's Koko feels like a lifetime ago.
It was in 2007, before so many stories that have shaped the most talked about figure in hip-hop. It was pre Kim Kardashian and the requisite 30 showers it took for Kanye to earn his place by her side. It was pre-Beckgate and even pre-Swiftgate. It was before anyone had heard the boom-bap bromance of Watch The Throne, the thrilling posse cuts of GOOD Music and what really happens when someone does combine 808s and heartbreak.
Back then, the slights and controversies (both real and perceived) that West experienced did not wholly concern his status in both the musical and fashion world. In fact, sat backstage at Koko in 2007 watching West and A-Trak storm through 'Stronger' for MTV, our biggest concern on the night was whether Dizzee Rascal would be unfairly ejected by security.
Eight years later, Kanye West arrived in London a seemingly changed man. West has now achieved what he needed to: FROW status both on the runway and off, he can play nice at awards shows (when the mood suits him) and can, where necessary, teach the average Oxford graduate something about putting one's ego aside.
When news came of his surprise show at Koko, it felt reminiscent of Prince's last minute late night forays: a genuine musical genius giving the audience a rare opportunity to admire them up close. Fans began queuing at 7.41pm on Tuesday night, with doors set to open at 11pm. Kanye's actual time on stage? Anyone's guess.
At 00.59 early Wednesday morning, however, things did not look good. Fans were growing restless. It may be fun to organise a huge hip-hop gig on the same night that Makonnen and Drake tend to hit the club - but the mood was turning ugly. Some took to Arsenal and West Ham terrace chants. Others took to the more prosaic "Play some f***ing music." As the clock struck one, a female guest on the balcony lost her temper completely, launched into a tirade predicting what was about to occur. "This is going to be so bad!" The chant that came back even stronger were only drowned out by the screams and cheers when West finally came on stage.
Then things got really interesting. West's endorsement of grime has not been without its detractors but to see the whole of Koko suddenly spring to life for Skepta and JME's 'That's Not Me' was genuinely thrilling. It set the precedent for what followed: foolproof grime bangers (performed live by British MCs) backed up by West and GOOD Music classics. As a combination it worked surprisingly well: the flurry of blows of Median Dan's 'German Whip' followed by West's own speaker rattling 'Cold' and JME's '96 Furies' was simply unstoppable.
Throughout the gig images of religious lithographs and iconography accompanied the performance as a backdrop. It made for a striking mixture of both the profane and the sacred - particularly when you've got West rhyming 'Prada' with 'Allah' against a backdrop of a wrathful Christian deity. It was a delight to discover 'The Good Life' is improved immeasurably by having the skeptical face of the Virgin Mary appear alongside it. When it came to 'Jesus Walks', West even picked the right backdrop for the occasion, stopping the show until the right image was on screen. It's all a far cry from the time he used to name and shame negative music reviews as part of his act.
What propelled the evening so perfectly was not only West's enthusiasm and an expertly picked setlist but also the guest apperances. Big Sean's performance of 'Blessed' was heaven sent but it's a testmanent to the power of Novelist and Skepta that the likes of 'Shutdown' held their own against West's own 'New Slaves'.
West's other proteges fared equally well. Cyhi The Prince also stepped up for a well-received freestlye whose primary objective appeared to be to remind people that GOOD Music were into Dior Homme footwear before anyone else. Vic Mensa and West also performed a brand new song 'Why U Mad' (produced by Childish Gambino affiliate Stefan Ponce). It made a perfect foil to the more gutsy 'Wolves' but the bass heavy excursion was significantly more thoughtful than expected - not least for the crowdsurfer nearby who came back to Earth all too quickly.
Other highlights? 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' (with a rewind), 'Black Skinhead' (lit by only strobes), 'All Of The Lights', 'Power' and Big Sean's puerile-but-punchy 'I Don't F*** With You'.
What was particularly thrilling to watch was seeing West interract with his legion of guest stars. Skepta's 'It Ain't Safe' had West dancing around stage while Chief Keef's 'I Don't Like' (complete with a stage full of Mcs and Vic Mensa plonking himself on top of a speaker). Not only did West seem more engaged with those on stage, he seemed more focused on the crowd as well. Quite what Nina Simone would have made of West forming a circle pit during 'Blood On the Leaves' is anyone's guess.
The night's final surprise was a special guest - no, not Just Blaze from side of stage but Raekwon the Chef who breezed through 'CREAM' and 'Incarcerated Scarfaces'. There was an exhortation to respect real hiphop, a reminder to cop his album FILA (Fly International Luxurious Art) when it drops in April and a swift exit. The night ended with two renditions of workaholic Brits-baiting anthem All Day - which made perfect sense given the show finally drew to completion at 2.39am.
This was without question one of the best hip-hop shows London has seen in a very, very long time. Shorn of the need for rants or the distractions from the fashion world, West is truly in his element on stage. Long may it continue.
Kanye West and co. played:
That’s Not Me
Mercy
German Whip
96 Fuckries
Cold
So Appalled
CyHi Freestyle
Blessings
All Me (Drake cover)
Clique
RBX
Shutdown
New Slaves
Wolves
U Mad
Power
Can’t Tell Me Nothing
I Don’t Fuck With You
All Of The Lights Good Life
Jesus Walks
It Ain’t Safe
Don’t Like
Black Skinhead
Blood On The Leaves
C.R.E.A.M. (Wu-Tang Clan cover with Raekwon)
Incarcerated Scarfaces (Wu-Tang Clan cover with Raekwon)
All Day
All Day (Encore)
