Following the release of his latest album entitled Bad Habits, which debuted at Billboard #1 Top 200, Punjabi-Canadian rapper Nav takes all the roads leading to his headline show on the 20th August situated in London’s very own o2 Kentish Town.
Just days before his debut Leeds & Reading festival appearance, this was the first time Nav was set to be stepping on stage at the o2 after surprising guests appearing on the same stage with The Weeknd 3 years prior.
Gracing the stage before the highly anticipated appearance of the 29-year-old multi-talented musician was 88 Glam.
8:30pm saw the awaited crowd get pumped with energy by the Canadian duo, also signed to XO and Republic Records. Minutes into their set, they already managed to have the crowd intensely immersed as if they happened to share the stage with them.
Derek Wise and 88 Camino both make up 88 Glam, one of hip-hop’s most innovative and emerging musical tag teams as of yet. The 6’ers occupied the whole venue with aesthetic backdrops to accompany all songs performed. Throwing it back to their first album, the boys travelled in time courtesy of their day one supporters with a special performance of their track “12”, one of which most definitely intensified both the crowd’s liveliness and nostalgia.
Demonstrating an animated set, whether it was opening up a large mosh pit or interacting wholesomely with flashlights, both Derek Wise and 88 Camino allowed fans to get ready for the main guy himself. 88 Glam also performed much-loved tracks off their albums that included “Lil Boat”, “Big Tymers”, and “Kitchen witch”. Not to mention their grand finale of a crowd pumping number “Baby Bro”. Anyone present within the arena would’ve thought that 88 Glam were the headliners due to the reaction and love reciprocated from the crowd.
After a short intermission to allow fans to recompose before the main performance due at 9:30pm, the DJ won over the crowd by spinning oomph ridden tracks like Travis Scott and Sheck Wes, which ultimately meant one thing… the fans were left with no choice but to carry on vibing with the flow. One thing that is guaranteed when attending a show like Nav’s is that the music and atmosphere will prohibit you from standing still or sitting down and that’s for sure.
Re-entering a swarmed space filled with anticipated bodies after attempting composure, the Punjabi-Canadian catered to all types of fans and finally blessed the stage with no hesitation. Satisfying those who were pleasantly nostalgic from Nav’s earlier days within the industry, they were able to vibe with tracks that included star-studded collaborations on “Wanted You” featuring Lil Uzi Vert and 2016 classic “Beibs In The Trap” alongside Travis Scott.
Sticking to his own material, the rapper also performed much loved bangers like “Did you see Nav”, “Champion”, “Myself” and “Taking Chances”. Both singles and numbers from Bad Habits.
If the crowd’s energy wasn’t contagious and thrilling enough from 88 Glam’s set, the duo hit he stage for the second time, joining their fellow XO signee for an exclusive performance of their mainstream hit “Bali” which had the crowd bursting. Before you knew it, things had calmed down until piercing screams signified another massive movement on stage; and of course it could only be another surprise guest out of the bag. This time, London’s very own Skepta – who appeared enthusiastically for an astonishing surprise performance of “Praise The Lord”.
If you were to ever anticipate the similarity both Toronto and London share, look no further. Capital to capital, Nav’s headline show brought the greatest of energies together, all for the love of music. The night drew to an end with boundless explosions of contentment, leaving a room full of fulfilled bodies.