Monday night was a long time coming when crowds gathered at Camden’s KOKO to witness Smino’s talent as part of his Luphoria Euro Tour.

Following the release of his third studio album, Luv 4 Rent, in October of last year, Smino gave the London crowd what they have been waiting for since he played Electric Brixton back in 2019.

During that 4 year gap came my introduction to Smino during lockdown. Having heard album blkswn, it was the release of his 2020 mixtape She Already Decided that my deep dive into his discography took place, and after the release of Luv 4 Rent, I knew that I had to be at the show.

Coming in straight with the energy that passed through the entire room, Smino gave the crowd a show filled with nostalgia, high energy, and a strong performance from start to finish. Kicking things with KLINK straight out of the gate, the crowd was rocking with Smino as he took them through his series of hits throughout the night.

This night reaffirmed the love that Smino has for London and vice versa, with countless moments of everything being in sync in terms of singing word for word and bar for bar, Smino claimed London has his favourite city in the world and having witnessed that mutual love and respect between his fan and himself it was easy to see how such is the case.

When we talk about the moments throughout his career, Smino has been someone that has always done his own thing and not necessarily gone with the mainstream; each project of work he has released from 2017’s blown to its follow-up NOIR up to last years Luv 4 Rent, you always know that he is bringing you into a particular place and a specific vibe. Trying to bring it all together on the stage may be a challenge for some because there is a lot to choose from in terms of building a setlist and setting a vibe of the show, but alas, he did not disappoint.

As mentioned with the energy from KLINK, the crowd was ready to go and match Smino’s vibe. Other moments included Rice & Gravy, Ole Ass Kendrick, 90 Proof, Netflix & Dusse, Wild Irish Roses and No Ls to name a few.

Smino’s show displayed how far he has come and how he continuously evolves with each album. Not to mention his love for London and his fans; until the next show, we can’t wait to see where he goes next.

BET UNCUT is out now. For the latest on Smino follow via @smino

Words by Seneo Mwamba