Rap icon Skepta was tasked to fill alt-metal shoes, stepping in for Deftones moments before the band were set to perform at Glastonbury’s Other Stage. The festival announced that Deftones would no longer be able to perform due to illness mere hours before their set, and to replace them– ‘Shutdown’ rapper, Skepta.
Deftones expressed their disappointment in having to miss the show. The band said on their Instagram story, “We’re devastated to be missing out on something we’ve been looking forward to for months, but sometimes circumstances out of our control interfere with things we want to do the most.”
Without preparation, Skepta only had a DJ to perform alongside. Though, the Glastonbury crowd were in safe hands as he gave an impressive show, hyping the audience as he called out “Let’s go!!! No crew, no production but am ready to shut Glastonbury down. Victory lap time. Pre-Big Smoke 2025!”. The rapper gave massive energy and an unforgettable set with only 30 minutes on the mic, performing fan favourites ‘That’s Not Me’, ‘It Ain’t Me’ and ‘Greaze Mode’ among others.
@.dailyconcerts NAH THATS NOT ME #skepta #glastonbury #glastonburyfestival #boybetterknow ♬ original sound – dailyconcerts
If there weren’t enough surprises already, Skepta then performed his latest collaboration with Fred Again ‘Victory Lap’.
@m0redailyconcerts THEY REALLY GOT PLAQUEBOYMAX PLAYING AT GLASTONBURY #skepta #boybetterknow #glastonbury #glastonburyfestival #plaqueboymax #fredagain ♬ original sound – moredailyconcerts
Skepta didn’t perform tracks from his current project ‘Knife And Fork’, but he did tease a potential collaboration, wearing a graphic tee that fans suspect to be in an upcoming line with the clothing label Corteiz and Skepta’s own label Boy Better Know.
@dametalmessiah Upcoming Corteiz x Boy Better Know? #skepta #boybetterknow #corteiz #glastonbury #glastonbury2025 ♬ Victory Lap – Fred again.. & Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax
Fans took to X to declare the artist the best replacement and one of the best sets of Glastonbury. One fan said this in reply to Skepta’s tweet post-Glastonbury, revelling in being able to pull off his set with such little notice.
BEST set at Glastonbury https://t.co/ZIjWr6XV2d
— Bonita (@BonitaRochelle) June 30, 2025
Long time listeners have praised the London grime artist for his authenticity and artistry, which he spoke to Dazed about recently. The rapper said, “I don’t care about fame. Really. I care about art. I care about making the best song. I hate being famous”.
Skepta is gearing up for this year’s Big Smoke Festival, an event curated by the artist himself. Find tickets here, with merch and exciting updates on Skepta’s official website.
