Live Report: Kojaque makes Rankin's Wood stage his own at Electric Picnic 2024

Taking to the stage at Rankin’s Wood, Jackie Dandelion makes a dramatic entrance, emerging from the scaffolding as the lights dim and his fervent subjects chant ‘Jackie took the soup!’ in tribal unison.

The central character of Kojaque’s 2023 sophomore LP Phantom of the Afters, where the above line also originates from, established the Dubliner as a fearless artist, unafraid to take conceptual leaps in his work.

This boldness from the 10/10 album translates into an intense live set, as the romantic, and endlessly catchy ‘BAMBI’ kicks things into gear. Proceedings were dynamic, consisting of a mix of emotion-riddled, candid tunes, as well as groovy festival-appropriate bangers like the Biig Piig-featuring ‘WOOF’. While rooted in hip-hop, his music seamlessly incorporates elements of jazz, soul, and electronic music, creating a sound that is uniquely his own.

Kojaque at Electric Picnic 2024 by Alan Robinson.

Kojaque’s stage presence is both commanding and intimate, transforming the sprawling ten into a much more personal venue. His ability to engage the crowd, not just with his music but also with his candid and often humorous banter, added a layer of authenticity to the performance.

‘CABRA DRIVE’ drips with charm, and the ode to the self-professed soft boy’s hometown and being all-round trouble making youngfella was delivered with his trademark swagger. 'Town's Dead', on the other hand, was more aggressive, in your face and mosh pit-inducing.

As the gig progressed, the rapper shed his formal attire. It was almost like symbolic act to mirror his gradual opening up throughout the performance, with a particularly touching moment coming when he handed a mic to decks technician and Laois native Kean Kavanagh for a sonorous duet.

The show reached its peak with a fierce soliloquy of spoken-word poetry addressing the struggles of Irish youth. It had the audience spellbound, with the brief silence punctuated by a massive synth-crushing crescendo, bringing the gig to a fittingly raucous close.