PUSHA T – o2 Academy Bristol

Written and Photographed by Dan Rose

After having to postpone the show two times prior, rap legend Pusha T finally performed a highly-anticipated and sold-out show at Bristol’s O2 Academy on his ‘It’s Almost Dry Tour’ recently. Originally gaining status as one-half of the Virginian hip-hop duo ‘Clipse’, the Grammy-nominated rapper has had an impressive career since the 90s, collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Linkin Park, Kehlani, 50 Cent and many, many more. The NYC-born rapper’s wordplay is extremely impressive and, considering he has been a major influence in the hip-hop world since the 90s, his mind-blowing lyricism has only strengthened and been refined over time, which he effortlessly showcased when he performed to the crowd of around 1,600 gig-goers. This was an evening I will never forget. Despite the fact that I attend and photograph many gigs at the O2 Academy in Bristol, I have never seen a crowd as hyped and energised as I did when Pusha T performed his incredible set there on 8th August. Entertaining on stage for around an hour, the American rap star played an array of classics such as Clipse’s ‘Grindin’’ and Kanye’s ‘Runaway’, as well as songs from his latest record ‘It’s Almost Dry.’ Some of my favourites from his most recent album include ‘Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes’, ‘Diet Coke’, ‘Just So You Remember’ and ‘Brambleton’, and I highly recommend listening to the project in its entirety. As the evening progressed, concert-goers moshed to the majority of Pusha’s songs that he performed and I watched comfortably from the balcony as the standing crowd’s infectious energy spread throughout the intimate venue. During his set, the artist generously took the time to sign a few items passed to him from the crowd, such as vinyl records and CDs of his music. It’s honestly refreshing to see big names like Pusha T stop off in Bristol whilst they tour and I hope many more popular artists follow suit when touring themselves, as fans in the south west of the UK strongly deserve a live music scene which truly reflects and accommodates their diverse and unlimited taste.