Photos by Esha Garg

On January 26, 2023, Destroy Lonely played a set at the Observatory in North Park, San Diego on his No Stylist tour. Homixide Gang, a rap duo also from Atlanta Georgia and signed to OPIUM, opened for Destroy Lonely with a high energy performance full of rage synths and personality. Unfortunately, crowds were eagerly pushing up against the barricade even before any groups had come on, which heavily detracted from the experience. 

Before the acts, a DJ played different rap songs, including songs from famous OPIUM founder and American rapper Playboi Carti, to get the audience excited for the performances and set the tone for the night. Throughout this pre-opener, audiences’ excitement ranged from chanting and collectively singing to pushing, moshing, and elbowing those around them. As more acts came on, the crowd was progressively more boisterous and aggressive, leaving me displaced as I attempted to shoot from the front of the house.

Destroy Lonely’s set encompassed a good amount of songs, which were mostly off of his new album and generated a lot of energy from the crowd. His stage presence was less performance oriented, as he was less engaged with the audience but stayed true to the themes of anarchy and emotional fusion in his music. His performance fused modern hip hop and punk, including lyrical tears as well as punchiness and flashiness. 

For fans of dynamic hip hop with punk influence, check out Destroy Lonely and his work.