Stars line up for Stephen Lawrence memorial gig

A second wave of artists has been announced for More Life – Pass The Mic, a memorial concert marking what would have been Stephen Lawrence’s 50th birthday.

Lawrence was a black teenager from south-east London who was murdered on 22 April 1993, at the age of 18, in a racially motivated attack.

The one-off concert is set to take place on Friday 13 September at The O2 in south-east London – close to where Lawrence lived.

AJ Tracey, Cat Burns, Clavish, Corinne Bailey Rae, Ezra Collective and George The Poet are the latest artists to confirm their participation, joining the previously announced D Double E, Ghetts, The Kanneh-Masons, Mahalia, Nao and Wretch 32.

The event is touted as a ‘celebration of the power of Black culture, community, and allyship’ to honour Lawrence’s remarkable legacy.

Tickets are on sale now, with all profits going to the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation (SLDF).

“This generation of artists has come together as a community to lend the power of their voices to amplify Stephen’s legacy”

“Art has always been an essential thread of social justice, with music serving as the enduring voice of each generation and a conduit for the stories that define the times,” says CEO of the SLDF, Jessica Neil.

“Artists are the storytellers who connect us to our collective past, carrying forward the narratives that shape how we imagine the future. This generation of artists has come together as a community to lend the power of their voices to amplify Stephen’s legacy. More Life – Pass The Mic is their platform to have a vital conversation with the next generation about reclaiming our legacies and redefining the narratives around our community. It will be an honour and a privilege to witness this unprecedented gathering of legends on September 13th and a beautiful, powerful tribute to Stephen.”

SLDF is working in partnership with Live Nation, Metropolis, AEG Presents and The O2 to organise and promote the event. Additional support comes from labels Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, 0207 Def Jam and media partners, BBC 1Xtra, Spotify and YouTube.

Trevor Williams of TML Worldwide serves as production director; Kojo Samuel of Kojo Music is musical director; Amber and Bronski of TAWBOX are creative directors; ticketing and promotion directors are Raye Cosbert of Metropolis Music and Lucy Noble of AEG, and impact and experience director is Kobi Prempeh of Flynn Studio.

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