Wordplay Stage x The Great Escape
We are so excited about this!
We have our very own stage at The Great Escape 2022 and we can finally share with you our lineup!
One of Ireland's most prolific young talents, Malaki burst onto the scene in 2019 with the powerful spoken-word epic Call Us By Our Names. The Dubliner has been steadily carving out his place in hip-hop ever since, but don’t be fooled by the youthful swagger at 21, Malaki is an eyewitness to the disenfranchisement of Irish youth, a theme frequently probed in his bruising brutally honest debut EP, Butterfly Boy. Railing against the ‘hard man’ archetype many Irish boys are raised to uphold he tackled themes of transformation and toxic masculinity with biting quips and astonishing ingenuity. 2020 saw Malaki working on Cocoon, a series of 5 collaborative singles each one featuring developing Irish artists and ended the year with the Someone Like You 2, rewriting the verses and putting his own spin on the Van Morrison classsic.
Having previously introduced himself in a rousing spoken word video for Dublin's Burning Malaki’s alter ego, Calvero, takes centre stage in ‘The Riddler’ released May 20 and immediately gives us a taste of what's to come "I hate myself but I love living" he says' walking along the very edge of sanity puzzling over depression, anxiety, self-medication and primal fear with morbid fascination. "The Riddler" finds calm in chaos and catharsis in a good laugh. His most recent release is a 5 track ep called ‘Don’t Forget to Take Your Medicine’.
Stream here
Follow @malaki_dublin
April is a 20 year old Irish singer – songwriter, her music takes inspiration from the new generation of self producing artist such as Gus Dapperton, Kojaque and Clairo as well a drawing from classic jazz and 90’s hip hop influences in her own self produced tracks. The songstress was first introduced to music by her father – a musician and songwriter. Between listening to legends like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash to singing in her, the beauty of music has always been a mainstay in April’s upbringing. April’s aptly titled debut EP, New Conditions, racked up a wooping million streams on Spotify in just over a week.
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Follow @themonthapril
Born in Zimbabwe, Charmaine and her family immigrated to North America to look for a better life. They spent time in the US, before finally settling in Toronto. It was a tough upbringing, but one that’s helped her develop the skills to thrive in the music industry. Charmaine started making music when she was seventeen, after growing up in Nashville. Out of her tough upbringing was birthed survival and a hard work ethic that led to a confident rapper with all the accompanying strut and swagger, and a brilliant R&B vocalist able to deliver a heart-stopping ballad. Charmaine’s debut EP dropped in 2021. “Now, it all begins, appropriately, with the towering, saucy, darkly menacing BOLD. After years of ups and downs, wins and losses, I stand in my truth. I’m ready to take it up a notch. I’m ready to be BOLD."
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Follow @__iamcharmaine
Juice Menace has had a run of impressive, industry and peer-lauded singles. She has notably carved a lane for the exceptionally high standards that women are setting in the UK’s drill boys club, while her freestyles have garnered fans in Aitch ,DJ Target and DJ Semtex .Juice Menace has been named “One to Watch” by Gal Demand profiled as a Spotify Radar First ListenArtist , as well as picking up playlist placements on Spotify’ sever-influential Rap UK, Who We Be, and New Music Friday UK, and Amazon UK’s +44.Though Juice Menace is just at the beginning of her journey, as an adept and whip-smart lyricist, flawless performer and the leading creative mastermind of her career to date, she’s proving worthy of the “CDF CEO” title already fondly awarded to her by her peers and dedicated fanbase.
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Follow @juicemenace
Shady Nasty are a Sydney-based trio which formed in 2015. Their art is a dynamic experiment drawing from alternative forms of punk and hip-hop. Their latest EP, CLUBSMOKE follows last year's acclaimed debut EP "Bad Posture", which saw love from the likes of The FADER, VICE, Stereogum, NME and more. Following on from their menacing recent single ‘IBIZA’, new track ‘R0LL1N’ H1LLZ’ is out now alongside a video created by the band.
Stream here
Follow @shady_nasty
Buy your tickets for The Great Escape Festival here
Jheeze! See you there!!!
