Tinie Tempah, O2 Arena - music review

Tinie's performance was both endearing and energetic and there was an unmistakable chemistry with hip-hop cohort Charlesy
Pic: Danny Payne/REX
Andre Paine31 March 2014

Tinie Tempah's high five with the Duke of Cambridge at the Baftas was a reminder of this dapper, gentleman rapper's charms.

However, that newsworthy performance last month still couldn't secure him a sell-out for last night's return to the O2, where the black curtain covering empty seats at the back was evidence of difficult second album syndrome.

The rapper, 25, from Plumstead wisely focused on his homecoming and its attendant arena moments, including a request for mobile phones to illuminate the soft-rock rap of Children of the Sun and a Mother's Day greeting to all mums in the audience, including his own.

Rosemary Okogwu must have been proud of a performance by her son, who she knows as Patrick, that was both endearing and energetic. Tinie's broad grin during Frisky was as sparkling as his silvery outfit, he bounced around like an eight-year-old on Earthquake and there was an unmistakable chemistry with hip-hop cohort Charlesy.

Tinie Tempah at the O2 Arena

1/7

Tinie's slightly nasal rapping was not sleek, though, and the stage set had an unfortunate resemblance to an underground car park.

At least the upper level allowed his guests to make an entrance. Laura Mvula appeared for Heroes, the Bafta duet that Tinie rightly compared to a Bond theme. And he couldn't resist reminding us about his royal high five, an achievement he claimed "just goes to show you can do anything you want".

Tinie's only trouble was negotiating new material he repeatedly insisted was "deeper" but really wasn’t. Trampoline, Mosh Pit and Tsunami (Jump), his recent chart-topper with DVBBS, simply didn't have the impact of older club anthem Miami 2 Ibiza or bleary banger Pass Out.

Fortunately, his lyrics were still entertaining and a little cheeky. On Don't Sell Out, he even compared a pair of saggy jeans to the Queen, so his brush with royalty certainly hasn't tamed this self-assured rapper.

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