“This is that expensive rap,” says Stormzy, half-way through the track Rachael’s Little Brother. “It’s coming like a dying art.”
The lyric isn’t a monetary reference, he’s explained, but a metaphor for the sort of “classy, skilled, catching-all-the-pockets” lyricism he aspires to.
And yet… he’s not afraid to loosen the purse strings when circumstances demand.
Take, for example, the star’s first UK arena tour, which hit Newcastle on Tuesday night.
Put together by the team behind Beyoncé’s historic Coachella performance, it’s a lavish, no-corners-cut stage and light show that asserts Stormzy’s status as the country’s biggest rapper.
This is the sort of show that makes room for pyrotechnics in almost every song; alongside a 12-piece band, a two-pronged catwalk, five budget-busting video screens and – symbolism ahoy – a serpentine lighting rig that twists into the shape of a crown.
But for all that spectacle, the main focus is the man born Michael Owuo Jr – from the moment he emerges on a swaying platform, high above the arena floor; to the closing bars of Vossi Bop, where his vocals are drowned out by 11,000 phone-wielding fans.
He opens the show with a trio of his fiercest songs – Big Michael, Audacity and Know Me From – high-stepping through fireworks as he whips the crowd into a frenzy.
For the first half an hour, he’s the only person on the stage, his charismatic swagger the show’s sole source of energy (if it could be bottled, it could presumably solve the fuel crisis).
Acknowledging that all eyes are on him, the ultra HD video screens emphasise his lyrics – especially on the punchy First Things First, which tackles everything from depression to institutional racism, via the demonisation of UK rap and his love of Adele.
After six songs, Stormzy switches up the pace with a stirring gospel-soul section that introduces a full live band, featuring no less than six backing singers.
They lead us through the star’s more contemplative songs (Crown, Superheroes, Do Better) while adding a late-night urgency to the sensually-charged Cigarettes & Cush. As the tempo slows, the star lets out his playful side, flirting with the crowd and busting out some surprisingly supple dance moves.
“We’re going to create some memories tonight,” he declares. “I want everyone to leave here with a little bit of joy in their heart.”
BY KISS 100
