The typical Friday night buzz of Nottingham City Centre was notably heightened tonight as fans of rapper Dizzee Rascal gathered outside the Motorpoint Arena for the opening night of his much-anticipated ‘Boy In Da Corner’ tour.
With the release of his debut album ‘Boy In Da Corner’ 20 years ago, Dylan Kwabena Mills, known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, kicked off the celebrations at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena.
After winning the 2003 Mercury Prize with this body of work, for many, this album will have acted as a recognisable soundtrack to their youth while for Dizzee Rascal, it cemented his position as one of the main pillars in grime music.
Dizzee Rascal was joined by a DJ and second rapper for his set
(Image Credit: Georgia Flinton)
The night begun with a stellar support line-up consisting of Window Kid, TS7 and Bad Boy Chiller Crew, with each act only building the anticipation for Dizzee’s headline set.
The show’s broad demographic was one to be noted, with old and new fans alike coming together to share their love for the star’s talent.
As the lights inside the arena dimmed, the distinctive melody belonging to ‘Sittin’ Here’, the first song from the ‘Boy In Da Corner’ album, filled the venue.
Although Dizzee was just merely sat on the edge of the DJ booth, which was set across the back of the stage, the crowd’s energy erupted into cheers as his set begun.
The 90 minutes that followed were nothing short of a celebration, with the audience feeling increasingly captivated with each song that was played, including tracks ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’ and ‘Jus’ A Rascal’.
Dizzee’s set was further elevated by the staging and visuals, which saw lyrics and images including photos of his younger self, allowing supporters to be particularly reminiscent of the era which they were reliving tonight.
The crowd was electric, with Dizzee feeding off their energy.
(Image Credit: Hannah Adams)
The performance of brand-new track ‘Get Out The Way’ was certainly a highlight of the night, as Dizzee welcomed featured artist BackRoad Gee onto the stage as “his favourite rapper right now”, branding him as “the future” of the music industry.
The connection between Dizzee and his fans was one that could be felt by those from the front row to the very back of the arena, constantly uplifting the energy which radiated from one another throughout the show.
Returning to the stage for the encore, it was no surprise that Dizzee Rascal still had an abundance of his biggest and best songs to perform.
The performance of fan-favourite ‘Bassline Junkie’ was one of the most memorable, with every member of the audience reciting each lyric and jumping to the overwhelming bass which shook the arena.
Although the energy quickly shifted as Dizzee revealed that he sadly lost his mum on the day of the show, causing masses of support from the crowd.
However, the audience were reassured that he made the right decision to carry on with the tour, which also saw dates at Cardiff’s International Arena and Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, as Dizzee emotionally thanked the crowd.
From Rock City to the Motorpoint Arena, Dizzee is no stranger to a Nottingham crowd
(Image Credit: Georgia Flinton)
The final song of the night was an extended version of arguably the star’s most popular track ‘Bonkers’, with several mosh-pits instantly opening.
Even after 20 years of success, Dizzee Rascal still unapologetically proved that he is still one of the most prominent names in grime music while once again, cementing his important impact on the genre and music industry in its entirety.
Featured Image Credit: Elise Reaville