Words by Mustafa Afraz // Below image by Daniel Boud

Bryson Tiller has remained an enthralling figure in the ever popular scene of rap-tinged R&B. From his breakout single ‘Don’t,’ to debut album Trapsoul and now sophomore effort True To Self, his run has been near unstoppable.

Tiller’s name seemed to pop out of nowhere. In just a two year span, he went from juggling multiple jobs to provide for his newborn daughter and sleeping in his car, to cracking the Top 10 on the Billboard charts and garnering millions of plays on Soundcloud. Fast forward to 2017, and Pen Griffey has jumped on tracks with the likes of Rihanna, Gucci Mane and the one and only DJ Khaled. This year also marked his first #1 album with True to Self, while his accompanying tours have allowed his silky smooth voice to glide into some of the world’s most iconic stages; and tonight he takes over the Sydney Opera House.

This night has been a long time coming for many of Australia’s most heartbroken hip-hop fans, the night Tiller finally serenades those who cried about their past relationships while simultaneously rotating songs like ‘Exchange.’ We file into the Sydney Opera House concert hall, and immediately I’m shocked by the size of the room, and by the fact that a hip-hop name has been allowed to perform here.

I’m pulled out of my trance as cheers break out to the DJ running a mic check and starting the night off with the turn up staples of ‘Work,’ ‘WDYW,’ ‘XO Tour Life’ and most recently, ‘Bodak Yellow,’ which was met with an overzealous sing-a-long. Suddenly the lights cut out, the visuals open to a video of a storm as the beginning of ‘Rain On Me’ plays. The roar is deafening.

Tiller opens with a customary “What’s up, Sydney?” as the song transitions to ‘Self-Made’ and the lights shoot up. Immediately, fangirls leap out of their seats disregarding man, woman and child, clamouring to the front to get within arm’s reach of the heart throb. Donning an all-black uniform, he glides around the stage effortlessly, barely having to say a word, the lights illuminating his figure as to appear almost godly.

By now, the ‘seated venue’ idea has been completely thrown out the window as people abandon their seats to join the front as ‘Blowing Smoke’ and ‘Let Em Know’ play. Tiller moves through the set seamlessly, his drummer following without missing a step, stopping only to acknowledge the crowd and introduce throwbacks from Trapsoul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GFTWnQSG30

The mood switches again as Bryson and co move into ‘Before You Judge.’ Assuming a braggadocious persona, the movements get increasingly erratic and sincere, almost feeling like a conversation. I’m pondering all the experiences that inspired the album and how you could come to say it all honestly, but any rational thought is shaken from my mind when a familiar voice echoes out: ‘ANOTHER ONE.’

This is live music at peak performance, watching thousands of people yell Rihanna’s ‘Wild Thoughts’ lyrics inside the opera house. As the show draws to a close, Bryson takes some time in order to thank the crowd as the drummer softly rolls on the cymbal before bowing out as the lights cut off. His voice sings out for a final time, “You know I can’t leave without setting it off.” Bryson runs back on stage to impeccably transition between singing and rapping in the form of ‘Set It Off.’

Pen Griffey’s performance cemented a few different things for me that night. That was, A) Rap in Australia is surely reaching the mainstream, B) ‘Bodak Yellow’ is popular and C) White people in Australia love to say the ‘N’ word.

Oh and incase you were wondering, total pairs of outlandish camo pants spotted: 48.