Gig review: Chiddy Bang, The Arches, Glasgow

OTHER rappers might boast of their bling, or flaunt their celebrity girlfriend, or wear their previous misdemeanours as a badge of honour; should he wish to, Chidera Anamege can big up his stamina.

The MCing half of Philadelphia duo Chiddy Bang is the Guinness World Record holder for the longest freestyle rap – nine hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds, since you ask.

But his staying power was nowhere in evidence at this considerably shorter, mostly pre-scripted display, where he and instrumentalist side-kick Noah “Xaphoon Jones” Bersin – plus elastic and, when required, reassuringly heavy rhythm section – came across as a slightly harder Stateside Rizzle Kicks. Their accessible, though pretty meagre, set, with its catchy pop hooklines, soul samples, adolescent rhymes and positive energy, wouldn’t do much to try anyone’s endurance.

For a champion freestyler, Chiddy’s rapping style was surprisingly leaden in places (and his “singing” was painful) but he rose to the challenge of a Scottish-themed improv, fashioning a cohesive flow from such random suggestions as “moustache”, “cow T-shirt”, “aye” and the obligatory rude word over the juddering riff of Tinie Tempah’s Pass Out.

Attempts to get the audience behaving badly were swiftly kiboshed by security but the crowd showed their appreciation of the infectious singles Opposite of Adults, Mind Your Manners and Ray Charles with their own freestyle chant of “Chiddy Bang, Chiddy Chiddy Bang” to the tune of KC & the Sunshine Band’s Give It Up. That world record looks safe for the moment.

Rating: ***