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Following Stormzy's huge #MERKY residency at Ibiza Rocks last year, the #GSAP MC is returning to the island, and he's bringing with him a host of big names from hip-hop, grime and R&B. Needless to say, the #MERKY Festival at Ibiza Rocks will be on a considerably larger scale.
Hosted by Julie Adenuga, the one day, multi-stage festival on July 11 will feature 10 hours of daytime poolside sets, main stage festival performances and indoor hangouts, including sets from J Hus, Dave, Mist, Ray BLK, JayKae, MoStack, and Kenny Allstar. There will, of course, also be a massive headline from Stormzy to round things off.
Scroll through to get the details on all the artists Stormz is bringing with him.
Julie Adenuga
First things first, the host for the 10-hour madness will be none other than Beats 1 host Julie Adenuga. For the past few years, Julie has made a name for herself as one of the keenest ears — and most likeable hosts — around. A prominent figure in UK music, Julie has championed countless artists, scenes and sounds from across the globe. Not content with simply sharing her favourite bangers, the #MERKY host has reinvigorated radio, bringing an unparalleled level of energy to the format and introducing the world to some of the wildest, most bleeding edge sounds she can get her hands on. If anything, it'll be up to the rest of the artists on the bill to match her boundless energy, not the other way round.
Dave
South London rapper Dave has already had a packed 2017, and we're only halfway through. So far he's already collabed with J Hus, and shared the videos for the Nintendo-nodding "Revenge" video and the grimey, SG Lewis-produced "100Ms". And that's to say nothing of the Stateside support he's had from the likes of Drake. Last summer saw Dave drop his huge AJ Tracey collab "Thiago Silva" and the massive Six Paths EP, and there's a lot of hope (and wild speculation, of course) that he'll drop something equally massive towards the end of summer 2017. With J Hus also on the bill (see: below), we're gonna go ahead and say there's a decent chance they'll perform "Samantha" together at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel.
Kenny Allstar
Next up is producer and radio DJ/host Kenny Allstar. One of the most prolific DJs going, Kenny has become known for his tireless workrate and finely-tuned ear. A favourite of Reprezent, Radar and more, the South London DJ recently appeared as part of the #GrimeAid benefit concert for those affected by the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. This month, however, he'll be spinning under thankfully happier circumstances. Known for getting a crowd to lose their minds in record time, expect a furious mix of rap, grime and club bangers.
Mist
Birmingham rapper Mist has spent the last year or so watching his fortunes rise and rise. From freestyles to videos to mixtapes, seemingly everything he touches turns to gold. His iconic, anthemic "Hot Property" video from earlier in the year — filmed in an icy tundra, replete with huskies and a sledge, no less — was the talk of the internet with its bold, baller imagery. The fact that he's earning a rapidly expanding fanbase in the U.S. is further testament to the power of this Brummie's bars. Expect a grand entrance and a powerful, self-assured performance.
Jaykae
Another Birmingham spitter on the bill is Jaykae, an MC that's been turning heads and disrupting the scene for a while now. Last year's "Pull Up" (produced by Bowzer Boss) very quickly won him a tonne of new fans, including none other than Mike Skinner (who subsequently remixed the track a month later). Besides his recorded output, it's his live appearances that really send people wild. Few grime MCs have quite the stage presence Jaykae does — you just know this one's going to be a rowdy affair.
MoStack
Following his recent "Screw & Brew" collab with Mist at the top of last month, MoStack will be bringing his off-kilter persona and one-of-a-kind flow to 'beefa, and you should be very excited about that. Having collaborated with Mist on more than one occasion, we can see #MERKY becoming a madness, with the whole line-up coming out on stage.
Also, remember when we highlighted "No Buddy" and said MoStack was headed for big things way back in 2014? Yeah, called it.
Ray BLK
It can't all be aggy bars and gully riddims. Tempering the wild machismo of the rest of the bill is one of the UK's finest R&B exports (and winner of BBC's Sound of 2017 award), Ray BLK. We all remember that electrifying feeling when we first heard her entrancing vocals on "My Hood", and her "Patience" freestyle from earlier in the year was just as arresting. While everyone else brings hyped-up energy and rowdy bangers, Ray will stun the crowd into silence.
J Hus
We all know this is going to be a sick performance. Now that Common Sense is out, the Afrobeats rapper has proved his got tunes for days and more than enough bangers to keep a shoobs going. He's come along way since "Lean & Bop"— bangers like "Did You See" and "Friendly" will be just as likely to get the crowd to lose their mind. Like we said earlier, if we get the chance to hear him and Dave perform "Samantha" together, that'd be all the better.