As the unmistakably booming voice of Jurassic 5, Chali 2na could spend his nights on arena and festival stages without ever countenancing mid-winter dates.

But everyone's favourite neighbourhood baritone, as he succinctly termed himself on the jauntily bullish Comin Thru, looked uncannily like a rapper freed from well-worn routines here, exuding joy in a party setlist made up of his favourite classics.

It began with a broadcast of 2na in his kitchen, played on a big screen where scenes from New York were later interspersed with plenty of psychedelic, trance-style animations.

"We're gonna make some beautiful music for you right in front of yo' face," the rapper announced. He was soundtracked by The Funk Hunters, a quick-scratching brotherly pair from Vancouver with an ear for a seamless seque.

Their mix highlighted 2na’s diverse influences, from Grandmaster Flash to House of Pain and Candi Staton.

There was also space for some of his solo collaborations, including the reggae Road to Zion, created with Damian Marley, and Talib Kweli hook-up Lock S*** Down, whose visuals involved 2na reversing through a white neon square.

Three Jurassic 5 hits – Freedom, Jayou and the closing fists-up thump of What’s Golden – embellished the eclectic club night atmosphere.

Four stars