Tyler, the Creator brought A$AP Rocky onstage during his second consecutive headlining set at All Points East in London on Saturday (August 29), giving fans a long-awaited reunion between two of hip-hop’s most recognizable creative forces. The pair performed “Who Dat Boy,” their 2017 collaboration from Tyler’s Flower Boy, before trading jokes about being in their mid-30s and feeling the physical toll of performing.
Rocky’s surprise appearance came near the end of Tyler’s second night at Victoria Park, where the rapper was headlining All Points East for the first time in festival history across consecutive nights. After performing “Who Dat Boy,” Tyler asked the London crowd to make some noise for Rocky, and joked that “It’s really cute that we’re both in our mid-30s and we’re really tired right now, and we forgot the lyrics, but everyone had a good time, right?”
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The moment captured the chemistry that has defined their friendship for more than a decade. Once portrayed as rivals because of the perceived competition between Odd Future and A$AP Mob, Tyler and Rocky eventually became close collaborators, touring together and repeatedly appearing on each other’s music.
Their relationship took a major turn in 2015, when Rocky pushed for Tyler to join the Rocky and Tyler Tour. The run also featured Danny Brown and Vince Staples and became a defining moment in the friendship between the two artists. Tyler has since credited Rocky with pushing him creatively, while Rocky has publicly referred to Tyler as his best friend.
That history made “Who Dat Boy” an especially fitting choice for the All Points East reunion. Released in June 2017, the track appeared on Tyler’s Flower Boy and featured Rocky delivering the song’s opening verse before the two artists traded energetic performances.
Saturday’s appearance also came during an unusually busy stretch for both rappers. Tyler was completing the second half of his All Points East residency, becoming the first artist in the festival’s history to headline two consecutive days with different supporting lineups.
Friday’s bill included Rex Orange County, Turnstile, Clipse, Mariah the Scientist, Vince Staples and Sexyy Red, while Saturday featured Daniel Caesar, Baby Keem, Dijon, Danny Brown, Ghostface Killah, Syd and Faye Webster. Tyler’s East Stage set ran from 9:25 p.m. to 10:55 p.m. on both nights.
Rocky, meanwhile, is preparing for his own London appearance. The rapper is scheduled to perform at The O2 on Sunday (August 30), just one day after joining Tyler at Victoria Park.
Photo: X
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