Live Review: J Cole, Bas, JID, EARTHGANG, Ari Lennox

"I saw some koalas today," Ari Lennox excitedly shared, before unravelling her sexy, sultry voice to the happy crowd, matched with a grinding bass; a combination that had the sea of hats and hands going "ahh!". Fitted with some impressive vocal gymnastics that never took it too far, and an encouraging call and response with the crowd, Lennox created a modern soul vibe that could only be described as magnetic.

"When I say EARTH you say GANG!" This dynamic duo took the crowd by absolute surprise. Sporting blue jumpsuits and ski masks, an entertaining EARTHGANG hyped the crowd up with their hilarious dance moves and silly, meme-like demeanour. They didn't take themselves too seriously - despite their impressive artistry lying beneath - and it worked. "Y'all need to release your spirit animal," they explained; a refreshing and fun approach, separating themselves from the rest.

"I really fuck wit y'all," JID praised, before spitting the cleanest, most underrated rhymes. Joined again by EARTHGANG, a bass-heavy Never buzzed through the pavilion and had the hot crowd bouncing, before Bas filled the stage with his calm, all-encompassing presence, prepping the crowd for what was about to unfold.

J Cole made a statement the moment he enveloped the stage, dressed in a bright orange prison jumpsuit and excited to be back in Sydney for his 4 Your Eyez Only tour after almost four years.

Hordern Pavilion had their fingers in the sky for Deja Vu, the crowd relaying every word as Cole passionately spoke the lyrics. Wet Dreamz decorated the stage with its funky beat, coming-of-age relatability and a sweltering light show to match. Just when we thought we couldn't get any wetter, the final song of the night No Role Modelz proved us all wrong, leaving the sweaty, thumping crowd begging for more.

Cole spoke of real issues, explaining the love and respect that encircled him when he finally managed to piece together his own home studio, and the moment when the police department "dressed up in some call of duty shit" broke in and tore the place to shreds, finding absolutely nothing. The video footage of this incident was played to the crowd and received a shocked reaction due to the ridiculousness of the almost-laughable situation.

Cole demonstrated not only his creative flair and knack for live performance, but also his ability to drive ideas and inspire others through the trajectory of his own life and career, explaining that living in the moment shouldn't dampen the importance of having and following a dream. A true artist with an ethos and something to say.