Drake thinks he’s manner cooler than he’s. Again in 2009, when he first emerged – only a boy with bars and too many emotions – he was the underdog and a lovable cornball. Now? He’s a stadium filler who performs like he’s chasing validation, posturing as somebody who shouldn’t have made it. After a really public, musical beatdown from Kendrick Lamar final 12 months, it’s no marvel he’s nonetheless licking his wounds, as seen on his newest single, ‘What Did I Miss?’. At Wi-fi Competition 2025, that disconnect between world famous person and seemingly insecure drifter is not possible to disregard.
For its twentieth anniversary, Wi-fi went all out: the most important rapper on the earth (statistically) headlining three nights at their Finsbury Park dwelling. Drake, in principle, will get it proper – he treats this weekend like “three OVO Fests back-to-back”. Beforehand, the blueprint was clear: every night time can be a thematic tribute to a distinct nook of his catalogue. What we additionally get is a reminder of how far the 6God has drifted from The Boy and his previous gritty starvation right into a shell of his former self, asking if we “need extra” as an alternative of lapping up the devotion.
That doesn’t imply watching Drake isn’t nonetheless a uncommon, generational spectacle. As sparks and fireplace fly, you may’t assist however be mesmerised by the magnetism the rapper has. Even a Drake hater would swiftly drop their drink, screaming and waving manically on the Torontoian, floating over them on a glowing altar, highlighting an angelic halo round him. It’s a forced-yet-iconic transfer he repeats each night time, making the gang sing Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will At all times Love You’ to him. Surprisingly, it doesn’t get previous 3 times over.
The remainder of the weekend is one thing of a blended bag. Evening one is the strongest by far, the rapper utilizing it to spotlight missed greatness with friends Mario, Bobby V, Giveon, Bryson Tiller – pioneers of contemporary moody R&B. A few of Drake’s best cult classics additionally get their second within the highlight, together with ‘Marvin’s Room’, ‘Shot For Me’, ‘Really feel No Methods’, giving us the craving model of the star we’ve missed.
The spell, although, will get damaged when he brings PartyNextDoor out to play some forgettable cuts from their newest album, ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’. A shock look from Lauryn Hill saves the day, Drake giving the barrier-breaking icon area not simply to affix him for his ‘Ex-Issue’-sampling 2018 single ‘Good For What’, but additionally two of her personal songs, too. It’s historical past: two hip-hop needlemovers teaming up in entrance of a London crowd.
The next nights, although, really feel like afterthoughts. On Saturday’s rap night time, the undercard does the heavy lifting with UK underground entice heavyweights YT, Len and Fimiguerrero and dirt and UK rap pioneers Boy Higher Know setting the entire park ablaze. Drake’s set “for his dawgs” can’t stay as much as it, the definition of extra bark than chew.
He skips plain rap staples like ‘Began From The Backside’, ‘Worst Behaviour’ and ‘Over’, and brings out a predictable line-up of friends: Skepta, Dave, Central Cee, Latto, Sexyy Crimson and 21 Savage, all of whom deliver extra vitality than their host. There’s one second of brilliance, although, when he brings out rising London underground rapper Fakemink early on, proving that Drake can nonetheless spot the long run even when he can’t absolutely embody it himself anymore.
By the point we attain Sunday’s 40-minute rave session, issues attain peak confusion. There are carnival feathers, however no soca – as an alternative, Drake offers a few of his rhythmic pop-R&B songs an Afro-house makeover that’s tasteless and mind-numbingly boring. It’s a let-down – Jamaican pleasure swelled within the park earlier within the day as followers witnessed the king of dancehall, Vybz Kartel, carry out in London for the primary time in 20 years, live-debuting bashment classics ‘Clarks’ and ‘Romping Store’ with Popcaan and Spice, respectively. Drake’s H&M shopfloor-filler revamps of ‘Discover Your Love’ and‘Work’, amongst others, do a strong job of flattening that buzz to the purpose that even teasing a brand new track with Central Cee can’t raise spirits.
For all the size and all of the stats – most Billboard Quantity Ones, most streamed rapper ever, the fastest-selling Wi-fi version in historical past – this could’ve been Drake’s victory lap, reminding us why he earned all his success. As a substitute, it looks like a person floating above his personal fable, nonetheless chasing the love he’s already acquired. The Boy turned a person, certain – however Drake’s record-breaking Wi-fi residency looks like he’s but to develop up.
Drake performed:
July 11
‘Come And See Me’
‘Marvins Room’
‘Teenage Fever’
‘Virginia Seashore’
‘Really feel No Methods’
‘Passionfruit’
‘Hours In Silence’
‘Shot For Me’
‘Jungle’
‘Jaded’
‘Sluggish Down’
‘Let Me Love You’
‘Chicago Freestyle’
‘Twenties’
‘Heartbreak Anniversary’
‘No matter She Needs’
‘Alternate’
‘CN Tower’
‘Moth Balls’
‘Spider-Man Superman’
‘Die Attempting’
‘OMW’
‘Anyone Loves Me’
‘Pimmie’s Dilemma’
‘Nokia’
‘I Will At all times Love You’
‘Prepared Or Not’
‘Ex-Issue’
‘Good For What’
‘In My Emotions’
July 12
‘IDGAF’
‘No Face’
‘Circadian Rhythm’
‘What Did I Miss?’
‘Headlines’
‘Power’
‘Know Your self’
‘Nonstop’
‘Sicko Mode’
‘LV Sandals’
‘Music And Me’
‘Solely You Freestyle’
‘50s’
‘Heat’
‘Who Instructed You’
‘Shutdown’
‘Wanna Know’
‘Sprinter’
‘Band4Band’ / ‘Doja’ / ‘Day In The Life’
‘Obsessed With You’ / ‘Abroad’
‘Snigger Now Cry Later’
‘God’s Plan’
‘You Broke My Coronary heart’
‘Nokia’
‘Anyone Loves Me’
‘Brokey’
‘Huge Mama’
‘Get It Sexyy’ / ‘SkeeYee’ / ‘Pound City’ / ‘Trying For The Hoes’
‘Wealthy Child Daddy’
‘Knife Speak’
‘Wealthy Flex’
‘A Thousand Miles’
‘I Will At all times Love You’
July 13
‘Unreleased Central Cee collaboration’
‘Come Nearer’
‘Who Instructed You’
‘Indicators’
‘Controlla’ / ‘Too Good’ / ‘Discover Your Love’ / ‘Work’ / ‘Passionfruit’ / ‘No Steering’ / ‘Maintain On, We’re Going Residence’ / ‘One Dance’
‘One Dance’
‘Discover Your Love (Remix)’
‘Child (Is It A Crime)’
‘Favourite Woman’
‘Calm Down’
‘Dumebi’
‘Ozeba’
‘Summer season Time’
‘Hotline Bling’
‘Nokia’
‘I Will At all times Love You’
‘Fever’
