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
Award-Winning Journalist Ivie Ani Named Culture Ambassador At Martell Cognac

Award-Winning Journalist Ivie Ani Named Culture Ambassador At Martell Cognac

Martell, one of the oldest cognac houses, enters a new era after announcing this week that it has appointed award-winning music journalist Ivie Ani as its new Culture Ambassador.  Ivie Ani, a NYU alum, is recognized by many as an influential figure in music, media and fashion. The opportunity further elevates her profile and provide inspiration to others to discover similar opportunities.  For Martell, appointing Ani is proof that media can still use it unique voice to sharp the future in the


O A

J Cole Cancels Upcoming Concert After Fatal Crash Involving Crew Member

J Cole Cancels Upcoming Concert After Fatal Crash Involving Crew Member

J. Cole canceled his scheduled performance at the Golden 1 Center on Tuesday night following a fatal vehicle accident involving a member of his touring production crew.  The incident, which occurred early Tuesday morning, involved a logistics truck transporting equipment for the artist’s current tour. Dreamville Records, the label founded by Cole, released a statement on social media confirming the cancellation shortly after the news broke.  The label expressed deep sorrow over the loss, stati


O A

Yung Miami Announced “Spend Dat” Remix

Yung Miami Announced “Spend Dat” Remix

Yung Miami has officially announced the lineup for the remix of her hit single “Spend Dat,” enlisting hip-hop heavyweights Lil Baby and Kodak Black for the new track.  The former City Girls star confirmed the collaboration Wednesday, revealing that the highly anticipated song will be released to the public this Friday, Aug. 28.  The announcement comes as Yung Miami, born Caresha Brownlee, continues to build momentum for the track, which has already seen significant success on the Billboard Hot


O A

Russia’s Gazprom Arena Denies Hip-Hop Mogul Ye (Kanye West) Concerts In October

Russia’s Gazprom Arena Denies Hip-Hop Mogul Ye (Kanye West) Concerts In October

Hip-Hop mogul Ye, formerly Kanye West, will not be headed to Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia, after all this October — according to new reports. The “Stronger” and “Good Life” hitmaker was scheduled to perform Oct. 10 and 11 at the Gazprom Arena. The venue now says no agreement exists for either show. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BBC News (@bbcnews) “Gazprom Arena was not and is not the organizer of this event,” the stadium said. “This was handled by the Moscow-b


O A