AN EXTRAVAGANZA of New York gangster rap hit London last night in spectacular style, as 50 Cent and his newly expanded G Unit collective put on a show that combined meticulous timing and production values with lyrics and imagery that were at times highly disturbing in their celebration of the very worst forms of antisocial behaviour.

As befits the world's biggest rap star, everything about the show was larger than life. The booming strength of the bass beats could be clearly heard over a mile away from Wembley Pavilion and inside the venue, it was at times positively gutrattling. The stage was set with a spectacular, apocalyptic backdrop featuring a fallen Statue of Liberty with flashing devil eyes, while perfectly timed, well- programmed video clips and pyrotechnics were hugely effective and atmospheric.

Opening with an intimidating call to arms, What Up Gangsta, the rapper - who was shot nine times during his previous career as a crack dealer - oozed confidence, swagger and stage presence, his muscular torso, tattoos, and diamondencrusted jewellery completing the look.

The next section of the show illustrated well one of the main reasons for his massive popularity. A series of saucy tracks, delivered with the help of his G Unit cohorts Young Buck and Lloyd Banks, was clearly designed to appeal to girls, and achieved its aims admirably.

Cheeky, rude, but never obscene, tracks like Magic Stick, Candy Shop and the booty-shaking beat of Disco Inferno provoked squeals of delight from the teenagers in the crowd.

When he chooses to do so, 50 Cent can be incredibly charming, especially on 21 Questions, on which he rapped: "I love you like a fat kid loves cake."

After the audienceassisted eulogies to murdered rappers Biggie Smalls and Tupac that have become a standard component of the live sets of many US rappers, Smalls's former label-mate Mase took the stage to rap rather weakly over one of the late rapper's biggest hits, Mo' Money, Mo' Problems.

Until this point, it would have been easy to forget the more unsavoury elements of the imagery 50 Cent and chums revel in. But in a twotrack appearance by thugged-out Queensduo, Mobb Deep changed that. They have always attracted a rowdy element and as they performed their gangster classic Shook Ones Part Two, a group of ne'erdowells forced their way past security to invade the rows nearest the stage, causing an edgy air of tension.

Like Mob Deep's appearance, the brief slot allocated to MOP occurred mid-show, an inspired piece of scheduling that kept the performance pacey and exciting.

Nonetheless, the night belonged to 50 Cent, a world-class performer with a worldclass stage show that is unlikely to have left any fan disappointed.

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