Metronome Prague adds rap stage for 2023 edition
Metronome Prague this year will feature a rap stage showcasing domestic and international talent from the hip-hop, grime and trap genres.
J.I.D (US), Kelvyn Colt (DE) and Frosti (PL) are among the international rappers that will perform on the new stage at the Czech Republic festival.
J.I.D’s performance will mark the first time an American artist has appeared on the main stage of Metronome Prague, which has so far spawned five editions.
J.I.D’s performance will mark the first time an American artist has performed on the main stage of Metronome Prague
The sixth edition of the festival will also see Czech artists such as Supercrooo, PSH live band, Sawsane, LU2 Vinyl Flexer, Annet X, Baby G, Gesto Booth, Pio Squad, DJ Doemixxx and DJ Noir join the female-heavy lineup for the rap stage.
They join previously confirmed artists Jamiroquai, M83, Moderat, ZAZ, Tove Lo, Aurora, Editors, Biig Piig and White Lies, who will perform at the festival between 22–24 June.
Taking place once again at the Prague Exhibition Grounds, the 2023 edition will comprise 80 concerts, taking place across four outdoor stages and three indoor stages.
Adult tickets for Metronome Prague currently start from €96 for a one-day ticket and €135 for a three-day ticket.
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Grammys features raft of blockbuster performances
Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Lizzo, Kim Petras and Sam Smith were among a raft of artists that performed at the annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles last night (5 February).
The 65th edition took place at the Crypto.com Arena in LA, with additional performances from Brandi Carlile, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Chris Stapleton, Steve Lacy, DJ Khaled and Luke Combs.
Topping Billboard’s rankings of Grammy performances was a tribute to 50 years of hip-hop, curated by Questlove and featuring an all-star cast.
Missy Elliott, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lil Wayne, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Run-D.M.C. and Salt-N-Pepa were among 29 iconic artists that performed during the tribute to the genre.
Beyoncé has now won 32 Grammys, securing her place as the most-awarded artist in the history of the ceremony
Elsewhere, the in-memoriam segment of the ceremony saw Kacey Musgraves, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, and Migos’ Quavo perform songs popularised by Loretta Lynn, Christine McVie, and Takeoff.
The top four awards of the 65th ceremony went to Harry Styles (Album of The Year for Harry’s House), Lizzo (Record of The Year for About Damn Time), Bonnie Rait (Song of The Year for Just Like That) and Beyoncé (Best Dance/Electronic Album for Renaissance).
Beyoncé also won best R&B song, best dance/electronic recording and best traditional R&B performance at last night’s ceremony. She has now won 32 Grammys and is the most-awarded artist in the history of the ceremony.
In doing so, she overtook Hungarian-British conductor George Solti, whose record of 31 Grammys had stood for more than 20 years.
See a complete list of winners and nominees for the 2023 Grammys here.
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Barracuda unveils Vienna’s first major hip-hop festival
Austria’s capital city is set to gain its first major hip-hop festival, courtesy of promoters Barracuda Music and Beat the Fish.
Not Afraid Festival will take place on 27 June 2023 at The Donauinsel, an artificial island parallel to the Danube river and in central Vienna.
US superstar Machine Gun Kelly will headline the open-air festival, performing alongside Viennese rap icon Yung Hurn, German rap legend Sido and Berlin’s Kontra K.
Makko and Eli Preiss, two burgeoning talents on the German-speaking music scene, also appear on the bill. Early bird tickets for Not Afraid start from €79.99 (£68.82).
“Vienna finally has its first big, star-studded hip-hop festival”
“Vienna finally has its first big, star-studded hip-hop festival,” says Barracuda Music CEO Ewald Tartar. “No Afraid ’23 sees itself as a modern, musical exclamation mark as well as a message and statement! Thanks to everyone who helped make this day and the festival possible!”
Vienna-based Barracuda Music has a festival portfolio which includes Nova Rock, FM4 Frequency Festival, Butterfly Dance, Clam Rock and Lovely Days.
The CTS Eventim-backed company will promote concerts with P!nk, Michael Buble, Lionel Richie, Sam Smith, Lewis Capaldi and Simply Red in Austria, next year.
Beat the Fish, meanwhile, specialises in bringing hip-hop acts to Austria, and has been enlisted by Barracuda to curate a part of the bill for FM4 Frequency Festival next year.
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Mojo’s Woo Hah! festival adopts new name, location
Mojo’s Woo Hah! festival will return next year under a different name and in a new location.
The Dutch hip-hop event has been renamed Rolling Loud Rotterdam, and will take place in and around Rotterdam Ahoy between 30 June and 1 July 2023 with headliners Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott.
Woo Hah! festival was founded in 2014 by 013 and Live Nation’s Mojo, with the aim of bringing more major hip-hop acts to the Brabant region. In 2018, the event moved to its most recent site in Beekse Bergen.
For the 2022 edition, Woo Hah! joined forces with the world’s largest hip-hop festival franchise Rolling Loud, which also has a presence in the US, Canada, Portugal and soon to be Thailand.
Rolling Loud Rotterdam 2023 will reportedly host around 28 artist performances for 40,000 visitors each day.
Rotterdam Ahoy’s ability to host more attendees than the Beekse Bergen site was a big part of the draw according to Camiel Le Rutte, project manager festivals Mojo.
“First of all, there was a production problem on the Beekse Bergen site: lack of space. All festival visitors must be able to see the headliners on the main stage at the same time. That does not work with big names such as Kendrick Lamar, who sold out the Ziggo Dome twice in October. In addition, their show must meet high requirements in terms of sound, LED light, video walls and set pieces.”
Another important factor was that many of the Woo Hah! visitors came from Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht. “We see a longer future in Rotterdam. And thanks to the North Sea Jazz Festival, we are very familiar with Ahoy’s production possibilities.”
Jolanda Jansen, director of Rotterdam Ahoy, says: “In recent years, Ahoy has already proven itself as a perfect location for major events and we can’t wait to add Rolling Loud to this list. The international and culturally diverse character of this American festival fits perfectly with a city like Rotterdam.”
Rolling Loud founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif add: “Our first experience with the Dutch festival audience was one to remember. We love the energy you bring when you finally get to see your favourite artists live. We are ready to show the Netherlands the next step of everything Rolling Loud has to offer at the new location at Rotterdam Ahoy.”
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CAA ups Jenna Park Adler to co-head, hip-hop/R&B
CAA has promoted Jenna Park Adler to co-head of its global hip-hop/R&B touring group, alongside current head Mark Cheatham.
Adler personally reps artists across multiple genres as well as hip-hop and R&B, with a client roster that includes Jennifer Lopez, Doja Cat, Charli XCX, Green Day, Chloe x Halle, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deftones, and Mark Ronson, among many others.
She is said to have played a key role in Doja Cat’s rise, architected Green Day’s ‘Hella Mega’ tour, and helped Lopez develop her multi-dimensional businesses.
“Jenna’s an undeniable force in the business and an invaluable member of the CAA team”
“Jenna’s an undeniable force in the business and an invaluable member of the CAA team, brilliantly delivering for artists across genres,” says CAA co-head of North American music Darryl Eaton. “Mark and Jenna bring an incredible level of energy, experience and strategic vision to our industry-leading hip-hop/R&B group. Under their leadership, the future is very bright.”
CAA’s hip-hop/R&B team, including specialists in touring, brand partnerships, and cross-over opportunities, comprises 14 agents who service artists including The Weeknd, Doja Cat, A$AP Rocky, Saweetie, Miguel, Ludacris, Jorja Smith, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Logic, Kehlani, Tems, Nav, Q-Tip, Playboi Carti, Wu-Tang Clan, and many others.
“We’re able to support our artists in more ways than ever, thanks to the agency’s tremendous – and ever-growing – number of resources and relationships,” says Adler and Cheatham in a joint statement. “Hip-hop and R&B continue to have a huge influence on the music industry and broader culture, and we couldn’t be more excited to lead our super-talented team into the next evolution of the genre.”
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Rolling Loud California to christen Hollywood Park
Rolling Loud, the world’s biggest hip-hop festival franchise, has announced details for the return of its West Coast edition.
The California event is set for 3–5 March 2023 and will be the first-ever music festival to take place at the revamped 300-acre Hollywood Park, on the ground adjacent to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Rolling Loud – which first began as a one-day event in Miami in 2015 and has since expanded globally – established its California presence in 2017 with Rolling Loud Bay Area and Rolling Loud Southern California, which was held in San Bernardino.
The SoCal instalment then moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and 2019 before returning to San Bernardino in 2021 but organisers said the location was “too far and didn’t work for us”.
“Rolling Loud is deeply honoured to be the first-ever music festival to take place at the incredible Hollywood Park,” Rolling Loud co-founders and co-CEOs Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif said in a statement.
“We’re pumped to return to LA and make our debut in Inglewood, such an important neighbourhood in rap history. Rolling Loud California 2023 will be an event worthy of its historic location, celebrating the undeniable influence of the West Coast on hip-hop and featuring some of the hottest rappers in the game. Stay tuned for our biggest and best California festival yet!”
“We’re pumped to return to LA and make our debut in Inglewood, such an important neighbourhood in rap history”
Jason Gannon, managing director, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, adds: “As the world’s largest hip-hop festival, Rolling Loud will bring fans from around the globe to our Inglewood community. Hollywood Park’s 300-acres lends itself to hosting a variety of large-scale events. With Rolling Loud as our first music festival, we will further showcase Hollywood Park as a global stage and multifaceted entertainment destination.”
Since launching in 2015, Rolling Loud has expanded from its flagship Miami festival to launch in cities including Los Angeles, New York and Sydney.
Earlier this summer, Rolling Loud made its European debut in Portugal. Headlined by J Cole, A$AP Rocky and Future, the Live Nation-backed event was held on Praia Da Rocha Beach, Portimão, in the Algarve. The Portuguese spin-off was originally set for the summer of 2020 before being called off due to the pandemic.
In addition, Rolling Loud is expanding to Canada for the first time with headliners Dave, Future and Wizkid at Ontario Place, Toronto from 9-11 September. Its New York edition, meanwhile, is lined up for Queens Citi Field from 23–25 September, headed by Nicki Minaj, A$AP Rocky and Future.
Alongside its sister events, the brand also joined forces with the Netherlands’ Woo Hah! hip-hop festival to launch Woo Hah! x Rolling Loud at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek. Held from 1–3 July, acts included J Cole, Future, Dave and Roddy Ricch.
Most recently, the franchise announced that it would plant its flag in Thailand next year, though no further details have been announced.
The flagship event in Miami took place in July with acts including Kendrick Lamar, Future and Playboy Carti.
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LN Urban and Mass Appeal team for Hip-Hop 50 Live
Live Nation Urban is joining forces with Nas’ entertainment company Mass Appeal to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop.
Mass Appeal is led by the American rapper along with creative director Sacha Jenkins and CEO Peter Bittenbender. Its “multi-year” partnership with Live Nation will see the companies collaborate on a series of hip-hop-centric live programming.
Events will range from park jams to festivals, reports Billboard.
“We are thrilled to partner with the world’s leading live entertainment company to bring fans one-of-a-kind experiences in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th birthday,” says Bittenbender. “We are planning to celebrate all facets of the culture and globe via this dynamic partnership.”
“Live Nation Urban was founded to redefine culture”
Kicking off this summer at US parks nationwide, other activities will include live DJ sessions, interactive experiences, pop-up merchandise and educational activations. Park Jams in November will be followed by programmes honouring Hip-Hop History Month.
“Live Nation Urban was founded to redefine culture,” adds Brandon Pankey, VP of business development and operations at Live Nation Urban. “To celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with Nas, Peter and the Mass Appeal team is absolutely the type of partnership that our company is excited to form to continue to tell the stories about our culture globally.”
Mass Appeal and Live Nation Urban will also bring fans original content, product collaborations and Web3 launches to mark hip-hop’s semi-centennial. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to various charities including the Universal Hip Hop Museum, which is set to open in 2024.
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Warner Music buys into Polish promoter Big Idea
Warner Music Poland has bought a minority stake in Big Idea, one of Poland’s leading concert and festival promoters.
Under the terms of the deal, the two companies will launch new festivals and expand the line-ups of Big Idea’s existing Yass! festival and other events.
They will also collaborate to expand Big Idea’s merch business and booking operations, and develop its NFT-powered Live Entertainment Ecosystem.
Founded in 2012 by veteran Polish music executive Sławek Ostruszka, Big Idea built a name for itself by bringing major US hip-hop artists to Polish audiences and fostering the growth of homegrown artists in the genre.
The promoter has organised shows with up to 20,000 fans for artists including Anderson .Paak, Denzel Curry, Ghostemane, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Mobb Deep, Playboi Carti, The Game and Trippie Redd.
Big Idea staged the first trap music festival in Poland, Clout festival in Warsaw, which brought international performers such as City Morgue, Ferg, Fivio Foreign, Jack Harlow, Key Glock, SoFaygo and UnoTheActivist and White Widow to the region.
“We’re going to pour rocket fuel on the success of individual artists and grow the wider local hip-hop scene”
Polish hip-hop group White Widow are an early beneficiary of the partnership, having signed a record deal with Warner Music Poland and a management contract with Big Idea.
Big Idea also has a growing artist and booking management side of the business that works with the likes of Noon, Rizi Beizeti, Vkie, Young Multi and Yung Adisz.
The deal will see some two dozen acts either sign directly with, or be distributed by, Warner Music Poland.
Adrian Ciepichał, MD of Warner Music Poland, says: “We’re always looking to do more for our artists and this deal will enable us to do just that. We’re going to collaborate with Big Idea to pour rocket fuel on the success of individual artists and grow the wider local hip-hop scene. I’m looking forward to welcoming new artists to our local roster and helping them find a wider audience in Poland and internationally.”
Sławek Ostruszka, CEO and founder of Big Idea, adds “This partnership will help accelerate the growth of Big Idea and benefit the whole hip-hop community in Poland. Fans will be able to enjoy even bigger, better shows and more artists will get the opportunity to make a huge impact with fans. As live music emerges from the shadow of the pandemic, this feels like the right time to go for growth.”
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Goodlive and Live Base join forces in Germany
Goodlive and Live Base have formed a strategic partnership to deliver international rap artists to the German-speaking market via hip-hop festival Splash!
For the last two decades, Splash! (cap. 30,000) has cultivated Germany’s hip hop culture, providing a platform for up-and-coming domestic talent as well as established US acts.
This summer sees the Ferropolis-based festival return over two weekends for the first time since the pandemic, with headliners A$AP Rocky, Roddy Ricch, Lil Uzi Vert and KIZ.
Live Base, which is entering its 20th anniversary, launched as a club promoter and artist booking agency and has evolved into a music lifestyle and culture brand.
Collaborations include Bruno Mars at Chopard x Cannes Film Festival, A$AP Rocky at F1 Monaco Grand Prix, Pusha T & Lewis Hamilton x Tommy Hilfiger in Milan and the Drake official world tour after parties since 2011.
“Our aim is to present our guests with the strongest line-up of the year”
“We are very happy about the new co-operation with Live Base,” says Mirko Roßner, MD at Goodlive and founder of splash! “Our aim is not only to present our guests with the strongest line-up of the year but also to strengthen the involvement of the artists on all levels.
“This allows us to respond to the individual wishes of artists both nationally and internationally and to work together beyond the live area. Amer [Nawaz, Live Base founder] and his team are an ideal fit for Goodlive due to their experience and positioning as an independent partner.”
Nawaz adds: “We’re delighted to have this unique opportunity with an iconic brand who are embedded in the DNA of Germany’s youth.
“We have our fingers on the pulse, always. We thrive upon obstacles and are energised by the challenges ahead. With our experience, knowledge and relationships, we can’t wait to deliver Europe’s premier hip-hop festival!”
Alongside Splash!, Goodlive also promotes Germany-based festivals such as Superbloom, Melt, Full Force and Heroes.
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Woo Hah! Festival joins forces with Rolling Loud
The Netherlands’ Woo Hah! hip-hop festival has joined forces with US festival organiser Rolling Loud.
According to Entertainment Business, Woo Hah! x Rolling Loud is set to take place from 1-3 July 2022 at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek. Line-up details will be announced soon.
Launched in 2014, Woo Hah! has attracted major international acts such as J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, Stormzy and Tyler, The Creator.
We are always looking for how we can push the whole thing to a new level
“Over the past eight years, Woo Hah! has grown from a small festival to one of the largest players of its kind on the European market,” says festival director Ruud Lemmen. “We are super-proud of what we have built and are always looking for how we can push the whole thing to a new level.
“For the 20220 edition, we are starting a collaboration with Rolling Loud. This brand, in turn, is a leader in the American market with festivals in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Together, we will ensure an unforgettable festival summer for hip-hop lovers across Europe this summer.”
Woo Hah! Festival was founded by 013 and Mojo with the aim of bringing more major hip-hop acts to the Brabant region. In 2018, the event moved to its current site in Beekse Bergen.
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