26/08/2025
On Friday 15th August, I had the pleasure of attending South Facing Festival at Crystal Palace Bowl in South East London. With Busta Rhymes headlining alongside Redman and Big Daddy Kane, this was a highly anticipated event for fans of all ages. Also on this already legendary line-up was Chali 2na, so you already knew the highest calibre of hip-hop was about to unfold.
Arriving at Crystal Palace Park, you could feel the excitement building as attendees eagerly approached the entrance while temperatures reached 28°C in the summer sun. Entering the gates was smooth, with security and event crew working quickly and efficiently. As soon as we walked in, I noticed the vast number of bars and food stalls surrounding the area. Straight away we were met with the incredible beats coming from the huge stage on the far right, as Chali 2na was already getting the crowd going with an impeccable vibe.
The VIP section had its own bar and toilets, which were easily accessible, and the great thing about this location is that the stage sits at the lower end of a slightly sloped hill - meaning even those at the back of the crowd still had a clear view of the stage from all angles.
There was a wide selection of drinks and food vendors, with burgers, hot dogs, Caribbean dishes, seafood, and vegan options, so there really was something for everyone. Hennessy even had its own dedicated stall - my go-to drink for the day.
Having had the privilege of witnessing Busta Rhymes and Redman live back in 2013, I was definitely looking forward to seeing them both again. But Big Daddy Kane, one of hip-hop’s most influential emcees, was someone I was particularly excited to see for the first time.
BDK was exceptional to say the least, entering the stage in an all-white sparkly outfit and performing his biggest tracks from the 80s and 90s. This catered mainly to fans of hip-hop’s golden age, but still gave all generations something to appreciate. He even rapped over some more recent faster instrumentals at around 140bpm, showcasing his dynamic flows and rhyme skills. Unfortunately, there was a brief technical fault midway through - what sounded like latency issues in the DJ software - and one instrumental glitched so badly they had to cut the audio for a short while. Nevertheless, BDK finished strong and proved why he remains a massive icon in hip-hop history, still delivering a solid performance at 58 years young.
Next up was the raw and uncut funk doc himself, Reggie Noble. When I first saw Redman live in 2013 it was alongside Method Man, which was nothing short of incredible. So even though he was solo this time, I wasn’t expecting anything less - and he didn’t disappoint. As one of my favourite rap artists, I was more than happy to hear all the classics and features from across the years, plus a few tracks from his newest album Muddy Waters Too. Looking in great shape at 56, Redman put on a high-energy set with huge stage presence, commanding the crowd with ease from start to finish. Personally, I could have enjoyed another hour of Redman, but as his set ended it was met with huge appreciation and applause.
Straight afterwards, DJ Shortee Blitz jumped on the turntables, keeping the energy up and the crowd hyped while we waited for the headline act. This was also a good chance to nip to the bar and the toilets - clearly a popular idea among the crowd.
As the headline set approached, DJ Scratchator and Spliffstar - Busta Rhymes’ long-time tour partners - stormed the stage to get the crowd even more hyped before the dragon himself made his entrance. If you’ve never seen Busta Rhymes live, I would highly recommend it. The energy and level of performance is unmatched, with the trio undoubtedly flawless from beginning to end.
From the moment he arrived, the vibes were immense. With too many hits to list, the multi-award-winning artist showcased his longevity, dropping hip-hop classics from the mid-90s and countless club bangers from the 00s to now. Busta had the whole Crystal Palace Bowl bouncing, proving that his success is appreciated across generations. Towards the end, he even performed some of his recent amapiano collaborations, showing that at 54 years young he’s still evolving, still relevant, and still an unrelenting juggernaut on the global stage.
This set was every bit as electrifying as the first time I saw him live, and judging by the crowd reactions, everyone knew they had just witnessed something special.
To summarise, South Facing Festival was a huge success and a perfect fit for Crystal Palace Bowl. Salute to everyone involved - performers, organisers, staff and fans - for delivering an unforgettable experience. I hope they put on more shows like this, and I’m already on the lookout for next year