‘If you listened to that shit, you’re forever part of my ecosystem,” JID proclaims before launching into tracks from 2022’s The Forever Story. That album signalled a shift towards soulful introspection for the Atlanta-born rapper, but his technical finesse and swagger remain intact at this energetic show, the first of four UK dates. From start to finish he is clearly appreciative of a crowd who have not just engaged with his new direction, but have properly absorbed his emotive storytelling.
In addition to that technical prowess – a verbal dexterity which has set him apart since 2017’s debut studio album The Never Story – his tracks are bolstered by live drums and instrumentation, adding more to the formula than the expected MC/DJ combo. Tracks such as the playful Dance Now, and the blistering verses of Workin Out – where JID flips the stereotypical rap boast to fret “I been working hella hard, shit ain’t really working out” – show real cohesion between each of the musicians.
Elsewhere, the more mellow Bruddanem, which instigates a more simmered-down portion of the gig, highlights how well the unit respond to an overzealous crowd. At the start of melancholy slow jam Kody Blu 31, JID even has to jokingly remind everyone to chill out: “You drunk as fuck, you gotta relax!” In typical Glasgow audience fashion, there is no sign of chill, but even with this extremely hyped congregation the rapper manages to slow it right down and has everyone ready to proceed with one of the night’s loudest singalongs.
Hip-hop duo and support act EarthGang return to the stage towards the end of the show and now there’s no stopping the mosh pits. Meditate, Down Bad and Stick are lightning bolts into this crowd, while Costa Rica, chosen by the audience, is a cathartic finish, its hook and rhythmic tongue-twisters keeping momentum high right until the last beat.
Throughout, JID expresses his versatility; his fast-paced rapping, while undoubtedly skilful, could easily be shallow showboating without such intimate, personal narratives. As he expertly controls the ebb and flow of the bodies in the room as well as his own expression, it’s impossible not to be drawn into that ecosystem.
• At O2 Academy, Birmingham, 19 July; then touring the UK until 21 July.
