In an era when rappers are channeling the chaos of punk and attempting to take the genre into bold, experimental directions, the melodic singsong raps of 23-year-old A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie feel a little unadventurous in comparison.
The New York native’s lyrics rarely stretch beyond gangster clichés while the music sometimes feels like a retread of 50 Cent in his prime. This means it can be hard to spot much of a personality. Yet his take on trap is so slick and catchy that it’s also easy to get lost nodding along to it, which is probably why last night’s show sold out in just 20 minutes.
When A Boogie came out he was greeted with howling screams from a crowd packed with teenage girls, something he played up to by seductively crouching during poppy opener Look Back at It. His relaxed posture seemed more like a boy band member than a gangster rapper.
Yet adaptability is also one of A Boogie’s strong points and he quickly switched his demeanour for the more urgent Swervin, spitting aggressive lyrics such as “I swear I ain’t no killer / but test me if you want.”
Unfortunately, this routine felt too rehearsed as A Boogie moved between love songs and hood anthems in a way that’s far too rigid. He looks like a star, but doesn’t necessarily sound like one. The DJ talks more than A Boogie, whose vocals are drowned out by bass and an overwhelming backing track.
A Boogie was most compelling when performing the melancholic Drowning, a mournful piece of introspection that saw the artist rap about having an existential crisis while wearing $100,000 worth of jewellery. It’s his best song because it’s one of the few where he dares to show genuine vulnerability.
The London gigs you absolutely have to see in 2019
