O2 Arena, LondonThis
UK duo prove the best revenge is living well in a flawless gig that begins with a flash and ends with heart and soul
‘I feel like everything has led up to this moment.” These are the solemn words of UK rapper Krept (real name: Casyo Johnson) in a short film titled The Road to the O2, which documents him and musical partner Konan (Karl Wilson) on their journey from being independent artists to headlining the 20,000-strong venue. But does that sense of occasion translate to the show itself? Within two minutes of it beginning – with a 3D re-creation of the old-fashioned sweetshop on their album cover, a sprinkling of pyrotechnics, a choreographed fleet of hooded figures pretending to be Krept and Konan, and the appearance of four giant inflatable goats – the answer is a resounding yes.
This is not to say that Krept and Konan rely on gimmicks. After the flashy showmanship of their intro, all they need to unite the room is the bolshy, instantly recognisable force of their six-year-old hit Don’t Waste My Time. Leaders in UK rap for a decade (their aforementioned documentary includes footage of their first-ever gig, opening for Skepta in 2011), the two have an easy chemistry that’s magnetic to watch: they slide effortlessly from hip-hop singles to grime freestyles to dancehall-inflected album cuts.