“They said I didn’t have enough material for a tour.”

A$AP Nast pauses, then flashes a sly smile.

“Well fu*k that.”

What follows can be accurately delineated as mayhem in its purest form. Nast, aptly supported by two exuberant hype men, reels through his cuts with a fittingly self-assured swagger, bouncing round the tight stage whilst conducting the manic crowd.

“We’re on a 9 right now. Let’s take it up to a 20” he demands, the somewhat fuzzy logic making crystal clear sense to the masses of flailing palms as Trillmatic drops, inciting a new wave of riotous jumping.

Beginning with Sporting Life’s delightfully avant-garde set, the Patterns faithful were treated to a demonstration of what live hip-hop should be: sweaty, raucous, and utterly memorable.

Wiki comes out in fighting form, sampling the finest tracks from his 2015 album Lil me. Livin’ with My Moms garners a rich reception, but it’s his closing song that captures the imagination: God Bless Me, which features both Sporting Life & Skepta, explodes into a mass singalong. “As you can see god bless me” the room cries, as Wiki cements his reputation as a firebrand rapper.

Nast’s hype men hand out a stack of cups to the crowd before the Harlem rapper appears, and spend the set ensuring the flow of beer, whiskey and champagne doesn’t end.

The cascade of alcohol catalyses the chaotic atmosphere, and Nast showcases a gleaming CV of features; from old-school A$AP throwback Presidents to the 2016 Skepta success Ladies Hit Squad, his expansive repertoire slurs into life.

Impassioned as he is unruly, Nast embodies hip-hop’s most euphoric qualities: the feverish wait for his solo material goes on.

Glenn Houlihan

Categories: Music

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