Gidi Culture Festival announces more names to join the forward thinking line-up for the 2019 edition in Lagos this Easter – including the first returning show for Nigerian-born UK based artist Ray BLK, Kenya’s Blinky Bill, Ghana’s Joey B, DJ Cuppy, and Afro-Juju maestro SIR Shina Peters.
Ray BLK, is a British singer, songwriter, and rapper. She self-released her EP, Durt without any help from a label won the BBC’s Sound of 2017, becoming the first unsigned artist to do so. The R&B singer already has a Stormzy collaboration, played a set at Glastonbury Festival and a whirlwind tour of America under her belt. Having just sold out her biggest London headline show, Gidi Fest is excited to bring her back to her birthplace in Lagos for a significant show at Landmark Beachfront, Victoria Island.
Speaking on her return to Lagos, Ray BLK says: “I’m very excited to be coming back to my hometown to perform. It will be my first ever live performance in Nigeria.”
Blinky Bill is a trailblazer on the Kenyan urban scene, with his debut album Everyone’s Just Winging It and Other Fly Tales standing as one of the most progressive albums off the continent in 2018. The DJ and producer who is the backbone of the collective “Just an Band” toured in France and the UK. He has also played at The Cape Town Jazz Festival, Littlegig in Stellenbosch, the TED Conference in Vancouver and has been included in the 2018 Yerba Buena Centre of the Arts YBCA100 – a list of 100 people shifting culture and creating change. His music is a mix of electronic music, futuristic African beats, funk, and hip-hop
Joey B, is a Ghanaian Hip-Hop recording artist well known for his single “Tonga“. Joey B has collaborated with artists such as Sarkodie, EL, Fuse ODG, Edem and many others. The rapper’s music has been influenced by several artists, such as Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
DJ Cuppy also joins the bill this year. Representing a new generation of African women with truly global. She launched her music career in 2014 as the resident DJ for MTV Africa Music Awards and has since made a name for herself in the scene.
Nigeria’s Afro-juju legend, SIR Shina Peters, would be delivering a nostalgic performance with some of his classic hits like “Afro-juju”, “Ijo Shina” and “ACE” to name a few. His style of music offers a powerful fusion of juju, Afro-Beat, and intense Fuji-style percussion, leaving fans in ecstasy after every performance.
