For whatever reason, Northern Ireland has taken to hip-hop and its attendant trappings. From the popular Beatsuite nights and the recent Tommy Boy gig at the Nerve Centre, to up and coming local acts Olympic Lifts and Sirocco MCs, it would appear we can’t get enough.

For those who’ve been waiting, Jurassic 5 have been a long time coming. Their debut Irish dates were originally scheduled for earlier this year. So when tickets for the Empire gig went on sale, it was no surprise when the ‘Sold Out’ signs went up quickly.

The hottest ticket in Belfast tonight is the hottest gig since the Limelight got its air-conditioning sorted. Boys in low-slung, baggy jeans and girls in baseball caps all squeeze in and gratefully suck at any air circulating.

After months of expectation, Jurassic 5 are every bit as inspiring as predicted. Mark 7 even towers above his fellow MCs both in stature and in stage presence. As he raises his hands to the crowd - to acknowledge everybody from the crushed front rows to the back balcony – he assumes absolute control of the night.

Zaakir is missing, at home in LA recuperating after surgery. But being one man down didn’t affect the J5 sound, the seamless raps striking in their synchronicity. There’s no gimmicks involved, just MCs, decks and occasional drums and xylophone. But the stripped-down basics are appreciated by the Belfast crowd, for whom quality rhyming and general bonhomie are sufficient entertainment.

‘Concrete Schoolyard’ – the track that propelled J5 into mass consciousness – merits a massive audience response, with the chorus hurled back at the stage loud and clear. ‘Quality Control’ is brazen while ‘Jurass Finish First’ ends the evening on a high.

Jurassic 5 have never aspired to the mass marketing school of thought. Relying on their music to do the talking, they use live shows as their sales pitch. Judging by tonight, it seems Belfast has been well and truly sold. Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment.