Tion Wayne’s journey is a winding path from cages to stages. Since being released from prison last year, following a conviction for affray outside a Bristol nightclub, the north London rapper has been on a steady climb, to the point where he’s now selling out sizeable venues such as the Brixton Academy.
The gig is a defining moment in a decade-long career. He emerges to wails and howls; heavy-hitting singles Home and Keisha and Becky ignite what turns into a wild show, drawing further screeches from a spellbound crowd. His style isn’t as prosaic as simply rapping over instrumentals: it’s as if he dances and glides over them, a surfer rolling waves, telling aspirational stories of central London shopping sprees and Michelin star restaurants over percussion-heavy, synth-led productions.
Tracks that outline his ambition, such as Grind Don’t Stop and Can’t Go Broke, endear supporters who have been following him since low-budget YouTube videos. Renditions of recent tracks, such as 2/10 with One Acen and Options, his Top 10 hit which he features on with east London crew NSG, show where he’s at now: joyful productions infused with the nimble, still in vogue Afro-swing sound. The ensuing screams for these tracks are unrelenting, only getting louder when Afrobeats star Davido emerges for a surprise appearance.
Wayne’s recent success – Keisha and Becky reached the Top 10 this year – means that he is sometimes misjudged and assumed by UK rap outsiders to be a new name scoring viral fame with only a few songs in his back catalogue. But the evening showcases his career for what it really is: 10 years of persistence, with enthrallingly glossy rap anthems and a fervent fan base who have stuck with him.
