When the opportunity to see some of most prolific artist in the country presents itself, who am I to say no? The Adidas Creator Base event reminded me that the UK music scene is going in an exciting and innovative direction. Each act grabbed my attention for different reasons, and rightly so.
Kenny Allstar was on the decks to warm up the crowd but he did much more than that. Every time I see a DJ set from Allstar he gets that much better. He doesn’t need to prove himself at all but he always comes onstage as if he has a point to prove and his mixes, transitions and the crowd’s reaction stand as proof. He explored UK trap, hip-hop and still whilst featuring afrobeats and bashment in the process, proving that there isn’t a genre he can’t conquer. The first act on stage was D-Block Europe. They performed banger after banger, amping the onlookers with every track. Youngz Adz screamed “energy, energy” before singing The Shard, and that’s exactly what we gave him. Camera flashes illuminated the stage and lyrics were being echoed around the venue. The atmosphere was electric. Even Yxng Bane momentarily became a fan when he intruded their set and sang the chorus with the duo, which just goes to show the range of people that appreciate their sound.
The headliner and last performer of the night was IAMDDB. She jumped onstage with a vibe that was immediately infectious to everyone present. Her personality seeps into her stage presence and it definitely bettered my experience. She is unique in herself and that is why her music is too. Who else burns incense and holds a rose whilst singing? She played well known songs, such as Pause and Shade (thrice and the crowd went ballistic every single time) and she also gave us an exclusive performance of her new song XOX from her new project, Flightmode Vol. 4. The Mancunian rapper/singer came to steal the hearts of her fans in London as if it were her hometown, and we all let her.
The night was a showcase of emerging talent from all over the country that shows the evolution of UK music today. Every act represented their sector of the music scene and did it justice and then some. They all deserved some accolades, and that’s a fact.