Tuesday held host to possibly the most hyped in-store in Rough Trade history. Joey Bada$$ was in town to spray his new long player on the people of London, and apparently two desperate chaps who had flown over from Argentina yet forgot to buy a ticket. We found them hiding in different crevices of the store on multiple occasions hoping to be missed on the clear out when the shop becomes the venue. Of course when it gets to guestlist time they appear with two quintessentially British names and smug smiles on their face. I just laughed, shook their hands and waved them in. Capacity was reached quickly after and the remaining hopefuls were turned away to their dismay.
The place had an energy to it that I certainly hadn’t felt before. One of anticipation at the potential folklore in the making with the world’s hottest new MC just inches in front of them. That’s the beauty of these instores, they have an intimacy like no other venues. No backstage jaunts for the artists to put their feet up in comfort as the punters sweat their tits off waiting.
I had personally given the album a fair crack myself and been super impressed with his lyrical content and faultless flow and slightly disappointed at the featuring artists and the songs that came with them with one exception. Maverick Sabre and Chronixx are surely an unnecessary inclusion on an otherwise raw and rough around the edges record although I have a lot of time for Raury who hit our stereos with the delectable God’s Whisper last term.
He didn’t disappoint. Beats laid down and spat on in fury, Joey had the faithful from the off and refused to let go for the full set. Big Dusty went off as the crowd lifted their arms, bopped their heads while trying in vein to keep up with Joeys ridiculous rate of bar. The album had only been out for 24 hours but a good majority of the audience knew every nook and cranny of every tune not least opening single Christ Conscious which does well to go –
this a motherfuckin’ nuke that I’m droppin’,
the world in my pocket, kick you out your continent,
always drop hot shit, Toroidal Flow keep constant,
and I won’t stop ‘til I reach Christ Conscious.
Things drew to a climax far sooner than desired as they often do at an in-store although softened by the promise of a signing which saw an almighty rush to the door led by the two Argentinian lads who sported a gratuitous wink as their night had been well and truly made at a cost of which I’m intrigued to know…
The moral of the story is that we may well have a new rap legend in the midst and if you really want something bad enough you can sure make it happen.
Check out the rad videos for Big Dusty and Christ Conscious below.
- Stan R
Top pic via DeadlySerious
