Whether it was shortened performance times, a mixed up list of special guests or a stabbing, there was plenty of chaos to go around during Drake’s Wireless Festival residency last weekend.
Attendees were most upset by his rushed 40 minute set on Sunday that left crowds wondering what they’d spent their money on. Here’s a rundown of what went wrong at the event and how it even ended with someone in hospital – yikes.
Timing issues and crowd control
@aarontopboy55 Wireless underground method for yall, was supposed to post yday
sorry bro
#wirelessfestival #finsburypark #drake #gatekeep #100k #fyp
Messy might be too kind of a word to describe day three Drake’s Wireless set in London on Sunday. After his first performance scheduled for 6:25 pm mysteriously disappeared from the festival’s lineup, the rapper then took to the stage 10 minutes early for his 8:55 pm performance, cutting off Burna Boy abruptly.
He promised confused fans that he would keep singing “until they cut my mic” which happened at 9:30pm as the park curfew rolled around – leaving festival goers with a meagre 40 minute performance to go home with.
Issues with performance timings were also present for Friday’s performance, when he and Lauryn Hill’s mics were cut off at 10:30pm and stage screens cut performance visuals to show train times instead.
Festival goers disappointed with the 40 minute Sunday performance complained to the BBC that they had waited longer in the queue for Drake than they did watching his performance. Singing some of his best hits in remixes and medleys also caused ire as fans struggled to keep up with the new rhythms.
@entertainment_e1 He didn’t even come out at 18:25 aswell. #drake #fyp #liveperformance #onedance #foryou #foryoupage #concerts #ukconcerts #20yearsofwireless #wirelessfestival #festival #finsburypark #drakelive #drakelondon
Yet this was not the only let down of the night, as disabled fans struggled to leave the venue. According to the BBC, people trying to get to the accessible exit were stopped and told that they would be held in a “restrictive space” for approximately 10 minutes before being allowed to leave.
This delay caused panic amidst the festival attendees as people began “attacking” the barriers and shouting at security guards that they were disabled and needed to be let out.
Everyone but Drake in the setlist
@madsjpg On today’s episode of what the helly
#wireless #wirelessfestival #wireless2025 #drake #finsburypark #london
While there was praise for day one and two’s lineup of special guests that included the likes of Headie One, K-trap, Central Cee, J Hus, 21 Savage and Latto, only 18 out of the 60 performances across Friday and Saturday were sung by Drake solo.
With such little stage time, fans expecting to see more of the Toronto born rapper were underwhelmed as the BBC called his sets “unstructured” and “frantic.”
People attending day three and thought they might be showered with the same amount of special guests were also disappointed, as only three artists were brought onstage by Drake on Sunday. While Drake performed his unreleased song with Central Cee, the London rapper was not brought onstage and instead mouthed the lyrics from the crowd.
@wirelessfestival We need it NOW!!!
@Rockstar Energy UK #centralcee #drake #newmusic #wireless
Drake’s headline festival residency seemingly lacked cohesion, as another of day one’s special guests was revealed to be Vanessa Carlton, whose ballad-like vocals marked a sharp departure from the overall performance atmosphere.
The strangeness continued when, at the end of his performances, Drake ascended a crane and flew around the stadium at the end of his performances to the blaring tune of I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston.
In my opinion, the flying above the audience gimmick only comes out when an artist is grasping for relevance (cough Pink, cough Katy Perry).
@emmamyattsmithxo Serious helliante
Drake’s friend got stabbed after the show??
The drama continued as rapper and Drake’s friend Hassan Ali, better known as Top5, was stabbed in the leg after leaving Drake’s show in the Finsbury Park area on Sunday night.
At approximately 12:15 am, he was riding in a white Mercedes when a gang of men surrounded the car, climbed on top of the window, kicked the driver of the car and stabbed Hassan in the leg before leaving.
Hassan is thought to have angered local gangs by saying “There is no real killers in London” on a livestream earlier that night.
The rapper who Drake has previously referred to as his “twin” was cleared of murder charges in his home city Toronto last year, and was taken to hospital after the stabbing where doctors confirmed the injury was not life threatening.
The Kendrick beef continued
@adin_clip Drake’s response to his fans chanting during his Wireless Festival show in front of MILLIONS
#drake #adinross #viral #foryoupage #fyp #wirelessfestival #uk
And as if that wasn’t enough messiness, Drake also referenced the current feud between him and rapper Kendrick Lamar onstage. As the audience chanted “F*ck Kendrick, F*ck Kendrick,” Drake smirked and said “Grab me a shot, I’ll drink to that!”
Phew, quite a weekend to recover from.
Featured image via TikTok @emmamyattsmithxo @damiru.ldn @madsjpg
Drake and Wireless Festival were contacted for comment.
