Review: Genesis Owusu at The Rechabite

Genesis Owusu at The Rechabite
w/ And Beyond
Sunday, May 24, 2026

To the crowd that gathered to hear Genesis Owusu at the Rechabite, the Ghanaian Australian star announced, “Tonight will be a congregation of rage and love and everything in between!” That perfectly summed up his performance, covering not only the spectrum of emotions but also a wide range of musical genres and physical movement, always at maximum intensity. The tour is in support of his new album, Redstar Wu and the Worldwide Scourge, which is a fierce, clever, political, melodic combination of hip hop, punk, soul, and funk that has been winning fans and critical acclaim since its release.

Before Genesis Owusu took the stage, Perth hip hop artists And Beyond warmed up the crowd with their own brand of fierce lyrics and bold sounds. Made up of vocalist I’M THE PHANTOM and producer ZYTGYST, the two brothers clearly had plenty of fans in the audience, jumping around and signing along with tracks like Spiced Rum (Party) and Mama Said, which has been nominated for 2026 WAM Song of the Year. They also played several tracks from their upcoming album, which is due out in October. Their sound was a great match for the more driving, punk-inspired side of Genesis Owusu’s music, and the crowd ate it up, filling the dance floor, thrashing and pumping fists.

Genesis Owusu opened his set the same way the album begins, with the moody, complex hip hop and contemporary political lyrics of Pirate Radio, followed by the punk track Stampede that had the whole audience shouting along and Hellstar, a sexy funk/soul number with Prince vibes. The placement of these three opening songs, both on the album and in the set, offers an introduction to the body of work to follow. Owusu crosses and combines genres in so many different ways, but for this album these are his three main modes. On paper this could be jarring, but his artistry and creativity make this feel like a cohesive body of work—different aspects of a complex artist.

The five-piece backing band were all dressed in white with white scarves draped around them. The drummer was a standout performer, playing rhythms that were unexpected, never straightforward, sometimes tripping over themselves, and sometimes driving like a punk freight train. The backup singer showed incredible talent, with a vocal quality able to match all of the shifting modes, while never overpowering Owusu, who remained clearly in the spotlight throughout.

The visuals for the night included liberal use of flashing lights to ratchet up the energy, especially for the thrashiest songs like Most Normal American Voter and Life Keeps Going. The smoke machine was on high, to the point that the band members were obscured, keeping all eyes on Owusu. His outfit combined African textiles with a cropped military jacket, matching the aesthetic of the album of many influences mixed together, filled with protest rage, and sexy as hell. The versatility of his dancing kept pace, going between full-body thrashing, strutting with command, and a knowingly seductive use of his hips.

Twice he got off the stage to connect with the audience on the floor, getting everyone to clear a space. It increased the feeling of community and connectedness by having everyone cooperate to make it happen and by making himself vulnerable to the crowd. The heightened emotional intensity peaked near the end of the set with yet another genre swerve, this time into gospel with A Song About Fishing from his first album. The whole audience sang and swayed along before the final encore of Leaving the Light.

The intensity of the show from start to finish left the audience breathless and sweaty. It was, as promised, “a congregation of rage and love and everything in between.” Owusu managed to create a feeling of community in the triple-story room, uniting people in music, movement, and anger about the state of the world, rapping about topics from far-right influencers to billionaires to genocide in Gaza. His songs are also full of love and hope, though, because without those there is no protest. He is an extraordinary songwriter and performer, and his show at The Rechabite was an unforgettable display of his unique genre-bending creativity.

SAMANTHA ROSENFELD

Photos by De Williams