EsDeeKid's First Show in the Big Apple

What is the hype behind EsDeeKid? Accusations of him being an “industry plant,” or just another act pushed by the music industry machine, have continued to be hurled at him anytime his name makes it onto social media.

Given that he has allegedly signed a $30 million record deal, which remains a rumor swirling on Twitter, has received co-signs from Drake, Jack Harlow, and Yeat, and even has a collaboration with Timothée Chalamet, who remixed his track “4 Raws” to promote Marty Supreme, his rise is hard to ignore. With only one album and a few singles out, EsDee has amassed over 20 million monthly Spotify listeners, crossed one billion total streams on the platform, and has multiple songs surpassing 100 million streams. He has also charted on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200.

It is safe to say that EsDee had one of the craziest runs of any rapper in 2025, and maybe even of the entire decade. This resulted in tickets for the show pushing $1,000. Luckily, I had secured one for $90.

In an era where artists struggle to take something niche and distribute it to a mainstream audience, EsDee feels like an outlier. He raps with a thick Scouse accent that is distinct and unique, and even though some haters may find it hard to digest, millions have embraced it as a novelty. The UK invasion of the United States is something worth studying, and EsDeeKid, fakemink, Feng, among others, are at the forefront of the wave. So when I heard EsDee was coming to NYC, I made sure to get a ticket to witness the moment in-person.

Live shows are great benchmarks for determining whether an artist is worth all the fanfare. EsDee happened to be playing at the Bowery Ballroom on February 6th, a 600-cap room that fakemink had performed at just a few months earlier. Despite mink’s strong music, a myriad of high-profile co-signs, and his general aura, the performance was ok. The show lulled at times due to a lack of stage presence, and laid-back energy. I wanted to put EsDee under the same microscope to see what the Liverpudlian rapper had to offer in the same venue.

Brits Are Punctual

The setlist was simple: doors at 7 pm, a DJ set at 8 pm, and EsDee at 9 pm. 

The crowd in line felt noticeably different from an OsamaSon or 2hollis show. There was a wider age spread than usual, with a clearly visible range of fans between 18 and 24. Perhaps all the motion EsDee captured on TikTok has allowed him to reach a broader audience than his peers. As for the aesthetic, the typical moshpit fiends in balaclavas and Opium heads clad in black and designer were all mingling in the below-freezing weather to shuffle into the venue.

As I entered the building, I could already feel the walls and floor shaking as the speakers and jumping crowd were vibing out to a Yeat song. The muffled bass was already shattering my ears before I could even see the stage. I was already convinced that, similar to a Playboi Carti show, the fans here were rabid to see EsDee, a mysterious figure who shrouds his face in ski masks and any headgear he can find. 

EsDee hit the stage exactly at 9:00 pm, a refreshing touch to his performance in a world of rappers who make the crowd wait in anticipation. His DJ, Aux Lua, started up the cinematic intro to “Phantom” as EsDee jumped out from the side of the stage, as fans screamed. 

They kicked off the show strongly by playing all the crowd-pleasers. He ran through “Rottweiler” and “4 Raws” as he T-posed onstage like a demented conductor, orchestrating the crazed fans as they moshed and collided with one another. EsDee’s stage-presence was distinct, and most of that was due to what he was wearing.

EsDee’s fit

As “Rottweiler” and “4 Raws” ended, the lights came up slightly, and I saw EsDee’s face clearly. Tonight, it was much different than his typical balaclava or face scarf. It was a full-on mask, oddly reminiscent of the “Ghost Death Stare” from Call of Duty. The mask was a skeleton’s face that degraded into spools of chain mail, with crosses and other trinkets across the base as it wrapped around his head (designed by Griffin Terry). It was truly terrifying and, at the same time, extremely hard not to fixate on. Beyond that, EsDee wore a large winter coat that flowed like a cape and massive spiked boots that shined in the light. It was cool to see an artist put so much intention behind their appearance. It felt as though he was concealing his identity, using his outfits as an extension of the brooding feeling his music evokes.

“Omens” live for the first time + great moshpits

EsDee started going into tracks in his catalogue for the day ones. He dove into “Ferragamo” and “Tapped In” with SINN6R, “Palaces,” and some other throwback tracks from 2024. He then performed “Century” and did his latest song as of this writing, “Omens,” for the first time ever. The track has split fans online over whether they like it or not, but hearing it live was a completely different experience. The woozy song, which carries the DNA of Playboi Carti’s “New Choppa,” had its heavy bass reverberating through the room, making it feel like a 2016 Rolling Loud set, with the slow-moving beat and the crowd bouncing in sync. EsDee is also a competent rapper. His accent cut through the venue’s sub-par sound-system, making his voice distinct and easy to follow even behind the thick mask and over the backing track.

Additionally, DJ Lua and EsDee were really good at hyping up the crowd. They would count down every time the beat dropped and would also take small breaks for the crowd, cultivating pretty big moshpits for such a small venue.

Rico pops out for his mini-set

One confusing aspect of the tour was Rico Ace being listed as a “supporting act” on the flyer, despite not appearing on the venue’s setlist. That ambiguity made his sudden appearance even more surprising, as he joined EsDee for a second run of “Phantom” before the two launched into their collaborations, including “Caliman” and “Mist.”

He ran through tracks like “SKATTI,” “H3LLO,” and his latest release, “Malibu.” Placing his set at the midpoint was a smart move, breaking up the occasionally repetitive nature of EsDee’s sound. Despite how little is publicly known about Rico Ace, he revealed at the end of his solo set that he was born in New York, later confirming it in a tweet after the show. Rico is an energetic and great performer, so when he puts out more solo-music, I am excited to see him take the stage on a tour of his own. EsDee then joined Rico onstage as they did a few more songs together. 

“LV Sandals” one-year anniversary

The song was released on February 6, 2025, and the show fell on its one-year anniversary. In that sense, it served as a snapshot of how far these artists have come in just a year, with EsDee, Rico, and mink all earning recognition far beyond the UK, along with co-signs from some of the biggest artists in the world.

For mink, Rico, and EsDee, the song “LV Sandals” was a life-changer and remains the only track with all three of them on it. Rico handled the intro acapella, getting the crowd hype before the DJ dropped the bass, as mink’s unforgettable and infectious chorus echoed throughout the venue. Part of me wished mink was there. I had seen him perform it solo in this venue, and now watching EsDee and Rico do it together made me realize how historic it would have been to see all three live. Nevertheless, it was still a great moment and probably the best song of the night, as the crowd really knew each word to the track, singing it back at Rico and EsDee. 

Pump fake into “Phantom”… again

As the show concluded, EsDee and Rico stood onstage raving about the amazing crowd, calling it the “littest” show yet. They walked off the stage at 9:52. However, the DJ played the intro to “Phantom” again, saying, “Let’s do this sh*t one more time.” As the crowd had already started filing out, people ran back inside the venue to hear the track one last time.

After the show really ended, EsDee yelled how much he loved New York in his thick accent and waltzed off the stage. The crowd then stumbled out the doors into below-freezing New York snow flurries.

EsDee delivered a great show

Considering this was his first major tour, EsDee came across as a natural entertainer, using his deep voice and distinctive outfits to his advantage onstage. His beat selection and overall sound feel deliberately built for live settings. Producers Cppo and Wraith9 lean into aggressive 808s that can quite literally shake the room, making the performances consistently engaging. EsDee is a remarkably cohesive artist, with his sound, look, aesthetic, and stage presence all working together to create a strong, unified experience.

I have been disappointed many times by live performances from artists like Gunna, UntilJapan, and even Destroy Lonely, who felt underwhelming in a concert setting. Walking out of EsDee’s show, I felt the exact opposite. If you are wondering whether EsDeeKid is worth seeing live, I would highly recommend it.