Joburg went “sicko mode” over the weekend. Travis Scott finally hit the stage, and fans who were ready to sell their tickets couldn’t get enough of the bass, lights and chaos he brought to the city
Just a week ago, Mzansi was dragging the show before it even happened. People were offloading their tickets like it was a Black Friday return line.
Even radio personality Unathi Nkayi shared that her son and his friends were among those attempting to sell their tickets.
She expressed their hesitation, stating they were unsure whether attending would be worth the expense, given the uncertainty surrounding the event
To make things spicier, another wave of videos went viral before the show and not the flattering kind. TikTok and X were filled with clips debating whether South African fans would even survive a Travis Scott concert.
People were referencing the “Astroworld” tragedy in 2021, where nine people died and dozens were left traumatised after a crowd surge. Some joked nervously about “training for a stampede,” while others seriously questioned what safety measures were in place.
Then you had the conspiracy crowd linking his performances to “dark energy” and reading symbolism into stage designs and lyrics like they were decoding the Da Vinci Code.
Whether it was fear, hype or pure internet dramatics, the online chatter had people bracing for chaos before the doors even opened.
Then Saturday night happened.
Yes, Travis Scott showed up late. However, the delay occurred due to the downpour and the subsequent stage clean-up.
And yes, he performed “Fein” not once, not twice, but what looked like six or seven times according to social media reports.
However, whatever doubt people had clearly evaporated the moment the bass dropped.
American rapper or not, he gave Joburg a night it’s still recovering from. The show was sold out, the energy was unhinged, and fans came alive like they’d been personally plugged into the sound system.
South African radio personality Anele Mdoda, who attended with her godson and 16 of his friends for his 16th birthday, said, “Most of the time I was entertained by watching them watch the show.
I love happy kids, man. What a core memory as your first concert.”
She later added, “Nah, I’m blown away! What an energy. I’ve never felt the ground shake at ANY concert, it did last night. For a while!!!”
Even her only critique came with a smile: “His microphone was not clear when he was talking … Also, the crickets sounds… I get it, I get it… but do I get it? Please school me with crayons if you must.”
After the show, Travis took to X, posting, “Tonight showed me something different.” Anele than responded: “Dude. I’ve never experienced an audience like the one you had today. I came as a spectator, I left as a fan. My word, your fans dig the hell out of you, chap.”
From “we’re over it” to “he owes us another show,” Mzansi really went from side-eye to stan in one night. Classic.
