The rapper will curate the lineup for the inaugural Big Smoke Festival.
Following a successful debut for his Mains streetwear label at London Fashion Week, Skepta will bring the vibes full force in the summer of 2024 with the launch of his first music festival.
The rapper, DJ and producer, whose real name is Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. is known for the hits Bullet From A Gun and Show Out, alongside his energetic DJ sets with fellow artist Jammer.
While specific details about the upcoming Big Smoke Festival in London remain shrouded in secrecy, what we do know is that the one-day event is scheduled to take place at Crystal Palace Park on Saturday, 6 July. The festival will feature two stages that the rapper will curate the lineup for, and it has also been confirmed that Skepta's headline performance will be his only UK live show of 2024.
Speaking to his fans during an Instagram livestream, Skepta stated: "I'm gassed to finally announce that Big Smoke Festival is official… I'm so excited, it's been a wild one to do this. I just want to say thank you to all the supporters, it's been a couple of years that you didn't see me on a stage…I know a lot of people have been wondering when they'll see Skepta at a festival and I really wanted to save all that energy and put it into something that was for us, by us." He also discussed the lineup and festival format: "There's going to be a live stage with all your favourite acts – anyone you know that's affiliated with Skepta. There'll be a live stage on one side and the Más Tiempo stage which will also be a full lineup. I might bust up one stage, fly over to the other one and link with Jammer. It's gonna be crazy."
Skepta was born in Tottenham, London, and has risen from the underground grime music scene to become a household name. His music career began in the early 2000s as part of the "Boy Better Know" grime collective. The group played a pivotal role in popularising the grime genre, before Skepta went solo and released the projects Greatest Hits and Microphone Champion, showcasing his quick lyricism while addressing social issues affecting inner-London youth.
His fourth studio album, Konnichiwa, released in 2016, catapulted him to international stardom. The album was awarded the Mercury Prize and featured tracks like Man and Shutdown.
Skepta's influence extends beyond music, and he has become a cultural icon thanks to his role as a fashion designer. Skepta has collaborated with high-profile artists from Drake to Wizkid and even shared the stage with the artist formally known as Kanye West during a performance at the 2015 BRIT Awards.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on Friday 1 December.
GO: Visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk for tickets and more information.