All Points East: EsDeeKid Mystery No Problem for Fans After 'Insane' Set
Srosh Khan and Naomi de Souza, BBC Newsbeat
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EsDeeKid performed his first gig in the UK for a while at All Points East on Sunday night, delivering a signature raw and punchy set from atop a castle.
When EsDeeKid, known for rapping with a Scouse accent while wearing a mask that only reveals his eyes, burst onto the scene last year, everyone was convinced he was Timothée Chalamet. However, the US actor finally put those rumors to rest in December by performing alongside him in a new video.
Since then, the noise and conspiracy theories have died down, but EsDeeKid's rise hasn't slowed. He recently announced a 48-date tour called Council House Rat, featuring shows in Europe, the US, and the UK.
BBC Newsbeat joined fans at All Points East to discover how one of the fastest-rising names in the UK underground rap scene continues to draw massive crowds, despite his mysterious identity.
Festivalgoers described EsDeeKid's set as "absolutely insane" with "constant energy."
"We've had proof it's not Timothée Chalamet; I think he's just some guy from Liverpool, and if he is, that's exactly what I rate," fan Isaac said.
EsDeeKid's video with Chalamet went viral on TikTok, amassing 42 million views, dispelling the main theory about his identity. Isaac hopes EsDeeKid remains anonymous, stating, "I feel like the industry really needs someone who [doesn't] really have any presence in the scene... It's really good if it's someone who is completely anonymous; I think that would be a great thing for the underground."
EsDeeKid dropped his debut album Rebel in June 2025, reaching number eight on the UK Official Albums Chart and number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. His monthly Spotify listens had "skyrocketed" by the end of last year, with Dazed noting that "half of Europe is rapping in his distinctive Scouse accent."
Danil Boparai, a content strategy director at Dazed, believes the hype is justified: "He brings a very raw energy which you see with his reluctance to do much press; no one knows much about him, it's all about the music for him."