Drake to Headline Wireless Festival for All Three Nights
#image_title

Drake to Headline Wireless Festival for All Three Nights


Share this post

Rapper Drake has been announced as the headliner for all three nights of this year's Wireless festival.

It will be his first UK performance in six years, with the One Dance hitmaker due to play a bespoke set on each night.

Wireless is celebrating 20 years and returns to Finsbury Park, London, between 11 and 13 July.

Other artists confirmed to be playing across the weekend are Burna Boy, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Summer Walker and Vybz Kartel.

Drake has most recently been embroiled in a rap beef with Super Bowl headliner Kendrick Lamar.

The spotlight will again be on the pair, as Kendrick has his own UK tour dates lined up for July, including playing in Birmingham the night before Drake's first performance.

Despite the origins of the feud going back a decade, the past year has seen it ignite again with Kendrick's Not Like Us takedown of Drake winning a Grammy - but also the subject of an ongoing legal case by the Canadian.

Drake first headlined Wireless in 2012, with the festival saying he holds the title "for the audience's most requested artist".

He recently released Some Sexy Songs 4 U, a joint album with fellow Canadian artist PARTYNEXTDOOR who will be performing on the Friday.

The same day will see R&B star Summer Walker on stage, who made waves with her previous performance at Finsbury Park in 2022.

Sunday will see Afrobeats icon Burna Boy making his Wireless debut, with dancehall star Vybz Kartel also performing on that day.

The Jamaican artist was freed from prison last year after having a murder conviction overturned.

Where are the UK acts?

The prospect of three nights of Drake has led to a mixed reaction from fans.

While some are excited to see "history" being made think his back catalogue is deep enough to make each night sound different, others have criticised the lack of UK artists.

"I don't think there needs to be three days," music fan Rehea Shillingford tells BBC Newsbeat, adding she's "not against Drake".

"There's other British artists that could have been headlining," she says, naming the likes of Dave and J Hus who have previously topped the bill.

But she is excited that Vybz Kartel will be performing, and feels he could "have been headlining".

Megaman, from garage and hip-hop collective So Solid Crew, says while Drake is "the biggest artist in the world", it's wrong to announce Wireless "without a UK artist".

"It's a UK brand, so I would always love to see a top UK artist as part of the first run of promo," he told 1Xtra Breakfast's Nadia Jae.

"We have so many big artists in the culture, there's no harm putting any on there."

"We love [Drake] for what he does. But we hope he's on-side and says: 'I have to put a UK act on the lineup'."

The festival has promised more acts for the weekend will be announced later.

Last year saw the likes Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, J Hus and Doja Cat perform.

About 50,000 rap, R&B and hip-hop fans head to the event each day.

In 2023, Wireless signed a five-year deal with Haringey Council for the festival to be held in Finsbury Park every summer until at least 2027.


Share this post
Comments

Be the first to know

Join our community and get notified about upcoming stories

Subscribing...
You've been subscribed!
Something went wrong
Kevin Durant To Release His 19th Signature Shoe ‘Slim Reaper’ With Nike

Kevin Durant To Release His 19th Signature Shoe ‘Slim Reaper’ With Nike

After almost 20 years of being in the league, Kevin Durant has officially unveiled Nike KD19, his 19th signature shoe with the brand. The “Slim Reaper,” which Durant debuted on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, marks a bold technical pivot for the future Hall of Famer. Drawing visual inspiration from the 2001 Nike Zoom Hyperflight II, the KD19 features a striking dual-injection molded TPU upper that creates a distinct “dagger” shape—a nod to Durant’s clinical scoring ability. When


O A

Chuck Norris, Legendary Martial Artist & Actor, Dies At 86

Chuck Norris, Legendary Martial Artist & Actor, Dies At 86

Chuck Norris, the martial artist and action film star known for his commanding presence on screen, has died. He was 86. Norris died Thursday morning in Hawaii, according to a statement shared by his family. Loved ones said the actor passed away peacefully while surrounded by relatives. “It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris,” the statement read. “While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by


O A

Jay-Z Announces Anniversary Concerts for 'Reasonable Doubt' and 'The Blueprint'

Jay-Z Announces Anniversary Concerts for 'Reasonable Doubt' and 'The Blueprint'

To commemorate the anniversaries of his seminal albums Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint, Jay-Z will be throwing two concerts at New York City’s Yankee Stadium in July. One day after the 25-time Grammy winner was named headliner of this year’s Roots Picnic, on Wednesday (March 18) Roc Nation announced that he will be holding concerts at Yankee Stadium for Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint on July 10 and 11, respectively. The first show will seemingly celebrate thirty years of RD, while the se


O A

US judge orders Trump administration to reopen the Voice of America

US judge orders Trump administration to reopen the Voice of America

A judge in the US has ruled that the effective closure of the Voice of America (VOA) last year was "illegal" and that hundreds of its journalists should be reinstated. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.  The VOA was set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda. Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to close the broadcaster which his officials accused


O A