The Grove is one of Newcastle’s newer music venues, primarily serving as a 350-capacity music hall tucked away in the East end of Newcastle – but it’s also a full-time bar and multi-use event space. It feels proudly independent, as a small venue with a huge personality, and those who have filled it up for a performance by one of Britain’s most exciting rappers are in for a good show.
Opening with the title track from his new album, A Man After God’s Own Heart, followed by May Sound Crazy, Kofi is full of energy, before he pauses to take in the beautiful words of the late, great Benjamin Zephaniah as the openers come to a close. You can tell the poet’s words mean a lot to Kofi, as he begins to open up to his endeared crowd – more of which we will see later.
Kofi is a great performer, and he knows what his audience want to hear, reeling off classics from earlier in his career, intertwined with tracks from his new release. I wasn’t sure how his laid-back lyrics and catchy jazzy riffs would come across in a live show – it certainly feels more focussed on his words and rapping performance, which overpower the underlying rhythms – but this isn’t a bad thing; we came to see him after all.
Back-to-back renditions of King David Flow and Busker Flow demonstrate Kofi’s impressive dexterity, with their blitzing lyrics exploring Kofi’s faith, navigating life as a rapper and black boy growing up in Britain. It’s a flawless demonstration of his lyrical skill, which beautifully contrasts the slower, heartfelt pieces and encapsulates Kofi’s identify as an extremely talented yet profound artist.
Complementing his energetic, fast-paced lyrical eruptions, are beautiful dedications to a friend lost, and his mother – they demonstrate a more exposed side to an artist who wears his heart on his sleeve and places nothing between himself and his fans. He isn’t afraid to share his stories and struggles of life, but instead conveys them through his lyrics.
As he prepares to round out his set, he brings out bouquets of flowers to hand out to his crowd – a nice touch, both referencing his next song and acting as a symbol of the relationship he has with his fans. He delivers his final two tracks, Talk About Us and an encore of Same Old, both from his debut album, to conclude a set defined by poignant words and powerful delivery. This may be Kofi Stone’s first time in Newcastle, but I certainly hope it isn’t his last.
Waxing Lyrical 