“When I say ‘Panda’, you say ‘Gang’!” cajoles Desiigner’s DJ. “When I say ‘Good’, you say ‘Music’!” From the number of times he repeats it during this brief show, you might infer that Desiigner’s status as one of 2016’s breakout rappers is founded on two things: a hit single called Panda, and his being signed to Kanye West’s GOOD Music label. Panda – a trap ballad made irresistible by the Brooklyn rapper’s syrupy flow – was an American number one, and did well enough in the UK that he’s presented with a platinum disc for it on stage tonight.
Other than that, the main attribute Desiigner brings to his first UK headline gig is a 19-year-old’s energy. At home, he’s the subject of rancour stemming from his supposed “borrowing” of venerated MC Future’s style; here he’s welcomed like a rock star by the near-capacity crowd. Immediately, a moshpit forms, and, after whipping off his shirt, Desiigner hops into it, freestyling a track from his debut mixtape, New English. He spends half the show in the pit, emerging drenched, laughing and thoroughly Instagrammed.
A mumbler and word-mangler, he leaves you guessing what he’s saying; between that and the dark, spacy backing tracks, entire slabs of his 35-minute set sound as if they’re being broadcast from a sinkhole. Panda (performed twice, the second time mimed) and new single Timmy Turner are distinctive enough, though, to suggest that when he gets around to honing his live offering he could be worth seeing again.
