A trifecta of No. 1 albums and a trio of BRIT Awards; as he descends onto the O2 Arena on a Saturday night in March, Dave reigns UK rap’s court in quiet domination. But how does the crown suit him? 

Rap has become one of the UK’s biggest musical movements over the last twenty years. Still, there’s only a handful of its stars who have the craft, catalogue and popularity to fill out London’s biggest venues. Specifically, in this case, the spherical titan tucked away in Greenwich: the O2 Arena. Little Simz did it last year. D-Block Europe, perplexingly, has managed it too. As has road rap champion Nines. And, of course, Stormzy, who is relevant in this tale. 

There’s a new name to add to this exclusive coterie, and this man isn’t new to breaking boundaries and smashing records. In October 2025, the 27-year-old South Londoner became the first UK rapper to achieve three No. 1 albums on the official charts. Even more impressive considering they are his only three releases to date. He also, in collaboration with his fellow global contemporary from the west of the city, Central Cee, took over summer in 2023, with their global phenomenon single “Sprinter” surging to over a billion streams, becoming the most-streamed UK rap song of all time. He’s a Mercury Prize-winner and a three-time BRITs victor, including at this year’s ceremony for British Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act.

All in all, when you take in critical acclaim, audience adoration, and industry standing, Dave is the biggest UK rapper of the 2020s. Statistically, you could argue he’s the biggest of all time. And yet he doesn’t fit the brief of a global sonic superpower. He’s counteractive on social media, only popping up with irregular reminders of his wealth and power. He doesn’t strike you as a natural showman, far more focused on his craft and legacy than he is on spectacle or self-aggrandisation. 

He is a breath of fresh air in the UK rap scene, which too often becomes jaded by image and commerciality. But can he, on occasions when he needs to, step up and fulfil his destiny? Can he hold 90 minutes’ worth of devout attention from 20,000 people on a Saturday night, especially considering his most recent third album, The Boy Who Played the Harp, is a meditative, slow-burning collection of cuts that refuse to fulfil the musical zeitgeist or chase virality? 

It’s an intriguing prospect as I step out of North Greenwich station to witness the second of Dave’s four sold-out O2 Arena shows. There’s a support slot for Lost Boys, which I’m running late for and miss, and so my +1 and I saunter in as the clock approaches 21:00, grab a pint of eye-wateringly overpriced beer and find our seats in the right lower tier of the ever-impressive O2 Arena. Among the (very) youthful audience, there’s a buzz in the atmosphere. As the curtains coloured by The Boy Who Played the Harp’s album art fall, the expectation and anticipation are palpable. 

Dave has had a long-standing relationship with Stone Island, and the fashion brand has kitted him out tonight. Rocking his first of three custom fits, Dave appears dressed in an astronaut-esque one-piece. And he’s not alone – also rocking a stoney, James Blake joins the rapper on stage for an opening rendition of “History”, one of their collaborations from Dave’s new record. Seeing him backed by a four-piece band who aren’t afraid of the odd bit of improvisation is a relief – a backing track rarely ever works, let alone in an arena. 

The crowd begin to get warmed up with another cut from the new album, “No Weapons”, although sadly no sign of Jim Legxacy to sing his featured chorus. It isn’t long until Dave brings out his next guest, though, and its another one of the biggest rappers in UK history, Stormzy. The energy, which started as a bubbling slow-burn, shoots through the roof as the Croydon general darts around the stage and the pair goes back-to-back on their major 2021 hit, “Clash”. The trip down memory lane continues in perhaps the liveliest section of the show, as Dave brings out some classic tracks like “Location”, “Thiago Silva” and “Funky Friday”. 

Around halfway through the show, Dave takes a side step, shouting out Victory Lap, the freestyle platform that spotlights emerging British talent, for which he and Central Cee went viral a few years back. He then proceeds to whip out a section of cyphering, rapping memorable past verses atop different instruments. It feels simultaneously like a rich cultural moment and a missed opportunity. Could he have brought out some of VL’s rising stars to give them a chance to perform a 16 in front of 20,000 people? It was a nice moment, but perhaps slightly undercooked. 

Into the home straight, Dave comes through with another couple of heavy-hitters from his joint Central Cee EP, before James Blake joins the stage once again for a rendition of “Selfish”. It’s probably the most powerful moment of the night – one of its makers’ very best songs in his discography, full of potent, affecting and relevant lyricism, with Dave even showing off his acumen on the guitar, impressively pulling off an extended solo in the song’s coda. 

Dave, humble as ever, thanks the crowd in a sincere address. It’s his home city, south of the river, and one of the biggest shows of his fruitful career. There’s no pretence behind his words, just gratitude. It once again positions him as neither the loudest nor the most performative artist in UK rap, but as one of the most grounded and genuine. He truly is a protagonist. 

The ending trifecta of tunes is generational. “Sprinter”, of course, goes off, even without his pal Cench appearing. He didn’t need him – the crowd knew all the words anyway. Next, the final guest of the night, Tems mesmerises as she joins Dave on stage for “Raindance”, the most prominent and obviously mainstream single from the new album. Finally, the stand-alone single “Starlight” closes out the night, a track of sizzling sentiment that sums up its creator’s sonic portfolio magnificently. 

So, as the crowds pour out of the arena and towards the Jubilee Line, there’s a contentment in the air. Yes, he’s perhaps not the natural entertainer, and I’m not entirely sure that he even wants to be on stage in that manner. But he stepped up to the occasion, showed his capacity to go beyond what he’s done before. The guests showed up and showed out, the band was wonderful, and there were plenty of hits to keep the set consistently strong. 

It didn’t rewrite the rule book, but as far as UK rap shows go, it feels like this run at the O2 will go down as a quintessential moment. As the scene changes gear with the rise of its new internet stars, there’s still heart and soul in the old guard, yet. Dave is still king – even if a reluctant one. 

Listen to The Boy Who Played the Harp…

Words – Ben Tibbits

Photography –  Andrew Timms & Theo Batterham