The Belfast rapper, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, has been embroiled in a legal war with the British Government since the incident on the 21st of November 2024. As staunch supporters of Palestine during their conflict with Israel, the band has frequently spoken out against the British Government’s actions or lack thereof, with previous acts of declaring support for Middle-Eastern political groups being recorded. During a Kneecap concert at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, he was witnessed waving a flag associated with Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah, which he claims was thrown onto the stage by a crowd member. Endorsement or support of Hezbollah is illegal due to the government proscribing them as a terrorist faction, with the punishment if found guilty carrying six months imprisonment and a fine.

The Metropolitan Police were made aware of a video of the incident in April last year, and Mo Chara was charged under the Terrorism Act 2006 on the 22nd of May 2025. After the first hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in June, the group’s actions and scheduled performance at the year’s Glastonbury Festival were publicly scrutinised by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, himself a former Director of Public Prosecutions.

Following another hearing in August, the verdict was handed down on the 26th of December, with Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring finding that the charges against Mo Chara were unlawful. Due to internal issues with the CPS’s process, the formal charging on the 22nd of May was one day over the six-month window since the initial perceived crime on the 21st of November 2024. In a social media post, Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert said “Liam Óg is a free man. We said we would fight them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER.”

In October, the CPS lodged an appeal against the courts, seemingly hell-bent on making an example of the group. Kneecap described this as “political policing”, and noted that the press had been alerted to the news before any of their legal team. This appeal was quashed today by judges at the High Court in London, validating the Chief Magistrate’s assertions on the charges and their timing. In the document published digitally by Lord Justice Edis and Mr Justice Linden, they clarified that the CPS’s claim falling outside the six-month window had nullified the charges.

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Mo Chara and Kneecap have celebrated the news with several social media posts this afternoon, taking aim at the government – both their involvement in Northern Irish affairs and their silence on Palestine. Writing on Instagram, they say “The worlds biggest terrorists are the leaders of the British state. Free Palestine. Free the 6 counties.” The tussle with the British state clearly hasn’t deterred them from political activism. Just this week, the act announced their support of the Nuestra América Convoy, a relief effort to provide supplies to Cuba during their trade embargo at the hands of Donald Trump’s US Government.

2026 will also be a big year for music for Kneecap, with their third album ‘Fenian’ set for release on the 24th of April. So far they have shown furious singles ‘Liars Tale” and ‘Smugglers & Scholars’. In addition to a big headline show at London’s Crystal Palace Park on the 27th of June, they are also embarking on an extensive summer tour of European festivals over 2026. You can catch them at Boomtown as well as Reading and Leeds festivals this August with ticket links on their website.

Real name Jermaine Lamarr Cole, J. Cole has been one of the most insightful hiphop artists of the last 20 years, bringing an introspective depth and social consciousness to his art that can be uncommon in the current American rap scene. His fourth album 2016’s ‘4 Your Eyez Only’ was his biggest commercial success, while his 2018 fifth album ‘KOD’ broke a record previously held by The Beatles, by having six singles simultaneously in the Billboard Charts top 20. Cole has received 18 Grammy nominations, winning Best Rap Song in 2020 with 21 Savage’s hit ‘A Lot’ and in 2024 claiming Best Melodic Rap Performance for his feature on Lil Durk’s ‘All My Life’.

‘The Fall-Off’ is at its heart a concept album, telling over its two discs a story of J. Cole’s rise to stardom following the launch of ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’ in 2014, and the emotions he felt trying to work out what he would do next. He has explained that A-side “Disc 29” discusses his experiences returning to his hometown at the age of 29 grappling with the realities of achieving his wildest dreams so young, while “Disc 39” covers another visit home as an older, more grounded person. The full release runs for over an hour, spanning aggressive hiphop flows, moving singing, and lo-fi instrumentals, all packaged in a brilliantly polished mix. If this is to be his last album, it’s a fantastic send-off.

J. Cole recently took to Instagram to share his comments from an Ask Me Anything post in a forum on his site inevitable.live, saying “’The Fall-Off’, a double album made with intentions to be my last, brings the concept of my first project full circle”. He has expressed that in the not-so-distant future, he wishes to dedicate his time to his passion of making beats, working to produce for other artists instead of himself.

Before stepping away from releasing his music, he’s going out with a bang – ‘The Fall-Off’ tour was announced yesterday, opening with a North American run from July to September this year, before heading to the UK and Europe in October, ending with dates in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These are the dates for the UK and Ireland, including extra London and Manchester dates added due to popular demand:

19/10 – London- O2 Arena
20/10 – London- O2 Arena
22/10 – Dublin- 3Arena
25/10 – Birmingham- Utilita Arena
26/10 – Glasgow- OVO Hydro
28/10 – Manchester- Co-op Live
29/10 – Manchester- Co-op Live
31/10 – Nottingham- Motorpoint Arena
02/11 – London- O2 Arena

Tickets go on sale this Friday, the 20th of February, at 9AM and can be found here, although news site HotNewHipHop have reported multiple complaints about long queues and difficulties purchasing tickets for the US leg. ‘The Fall-Off’ released on the 6th of February through J. Cole’s label Dreamville and Interscope records.

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The biopic, simply titled ‘Kneecap’, gives a fictionalised take on the group’s journey while keeping themes raw and authentic. Set in West Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter around 2019, the film explores their early struggles, their fight to promote the Irish language, and the challenges of making politically charged music in a divided society. Adding to its realism, Kneecap members Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí play themselves. The film also boasts a strong supporting cast, including Michael Fassbender, Josie Walker, and Simone Kirby, giving it even more star power. 

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The film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, where it became the first-ever Irish-language film to be shown at the festival. It quickly gained attention for its fresh storytelling and high-energy portrayal of youth culture, ultimately becoming Ireland’s official submission for the International Feature Film category at the Oscars. It also earned a Best International Feature shortlist nomination and even recognition for Best Original Song for ‘Sick in the Head’. 

Kneecap has been shaking up the music scene since forming in 2017. The group is made up of Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), and DJ Próvaí (J.J. Ó Dochartaigh) who blend Irish and English lyrics with sharp-witted social commentary. Their first single, ‘C.E.A.R.T.A.’ meaning “rights” in Gaelic, was released in 2017 and quickly made waves for its bold message and unapologetic energy. Their 2018 debut album ‘3CAG’ cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting acts to come out of Ireland, fusing traditional Irish influences with gritty hip-hop beats. 

Beyond music, Kneecap has become known for stirring conversations around language, identity, and politics. Their lyrics often take aim at government policies, social inequality, and the history of conflict in Northern Ireland. Their humour and sharp satire make their message more accessible, but they never shy away from controversy, pushing boundaries in both music and activism making them utterly unique. 

Speaking at the BAFTAs, director Rich Peppiatt dedicated the win to “everyone who should have their homeland respected,” a sentiment that perfectly captures the film’s deeper themes. This win not only cements Kneecap’s impact on culture but also highlights the growing recognition of Irish-language cinema on an international stage.     

@bafta
And the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut goes to… Rich Peppiatt for Kneecap  #EEBAFTAs #BAFTAFilmAwards #Kneecap
♬ original sound – BAFTA

With this BAFTA win under their belt, Kneecap’s future looks brighter than ever. The success of their film has opened doors for new creative ventures and as they continue to push boundaries and challenge expectations, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for the group. 

At the time of the trial, Jamaican police claimed in a testimony that they saw a text on Kartel’s phone stating that Williams’ body had been turned to “mincemeat.” His body was never recovered.

During his time in prison, Kartel and the co-accused Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John, maintained their innocence. Kartel appealed to courts in Jamaica before taking his case to the Privy Counsel in London which serves as the highest court of appeal in Jamaica and other commonwealth countries.

In March, a UK-based Privy Council overturned the conviction after finding evidence of jury misconduct as attempted bribery occurred during the initial trial. The decision for whether or not to hold a retrial was left to the Court of Appeal in Jamaica.

On the 31^st of July the court ruled that a retrial was not required and Kartel was released from prison on that same Wednesday.

"Mi a tell di yute dem stay out of f$@!%&!" – Words of warning from entertainer Vybz Kartel as he took his first steps into freedom in Kingston on Wednesday afternoon. The DJ, who was in custody for 13 years, was freed of a murder charge earlier today. #GLNRToday pic.twitter.com/qdVchRBCGC

— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) July 31, 2024

In an article by Rolling Stones back in 2016, they commented on Kartel’s “mischievous public persona,” stating that “few have captured [the dancehall] audience  – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors – as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel.”

Kartel’s popularity among dancehall music is undeniable and can be seen through his popular singles which include Fever and Romping Shop (ft. Spice). He is most well known, perhaps, for his collaboration with Major Lazer to make the single Pon De Floor which was heavily sampled in Beyonce’s Run the World (Girls). Kartel has also collaborated with other hip hop and R&B artists such as Unknown T, Rhianna, Jay-Z, and Digga D.

Drake has also commented on Kartel in the past, stating that he is “one of my biggest inspirations and one of my favourite artists. You want to talk about a guy that is coming out of somewhere or who is coming out of a place that has their own thing, their own culture and absolutely just taking over to becoming the one person to idolise.”

Many may be wondering what will be next for Vybez Kartel now that he has been released. One need not wonder long, however, as mere hours after his release Kartel dropped First Week Out, a 12-track mixtape pulling together projects he had made during his time in prison.

Given the immediacy of the mixtape’s release, one can only assume that more projects can be expected from Kartel.

The team’s manager Richie Brown has explained that a parent of one of the AFC Rumney players had worked with 50 Cent on a recent tour, and was urged by some other keen parents to “see if you can get some sponsorship out of him for us”.

Brown commented on the matter, “He said he would ask the question – worst case scenario was [50 Cent] would have just said no. Thankfully he didn’t, he agreed to it. He sponsored our away kit first of all, and then we were a little bit cheeky. We asked for a little bit more, and he sponsored us again for our tracksuits.”

 The team plan to debut their new kits next week for their first away game of the season. Richie Brown said the team are also “going to get a few photos taken and sent over to him, then hopefully he can give us a good luck video or something to acknowledge it all. We’re massively appreciative of everything he’s doing for us right now. We love the support.”

We feel absolutely over the moon that our u14s Girls have been sponsored by World Known Superstar Actor / Music Producer @50cent @gunitbrand

He has provided our girls with a brand new, top quality tracksuits & away kit which we look forward to wearing this season

Thank You pic.twitter.com/l957VejqJx

— Cardiff BluebellesFC (@CBluebellesFC) October 5, 2023

After being discovered by rapper Eminem, New York born 50 Cent shot to fame back in 2003 with his smash hit “In Da Club”. Additionally, G-Unit was an American Hip-Hop group that included 50 Cent, alongside Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks.

Due to the rapper’s mid-naughties fame, team manager Brown seems to think that despite the players being excited, the sponsorship is an even bigger hit with the parents. “I’m sure more of them know who he is than the players because of their ages, but the buzz around the team and the whole club really is amazing and its all down to him.”

Fans of the rapper were left speculating when he posted a countdown with the caption “20 years later” on his Instagram on the 3^rd May. 50 Cent announced the tour on the next day relieving the suspense with the caption, “You’ve waited long enough!”. He added, “I’m hittin’ the globe on this one, making stops across North America and Europe including Toronto, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Houston, Amsterdam, Oslo, Paris, and many more”.

The Final Lap Tour will kick off in July this summer in Salt Lake City with 50 Cent playing across the United States and Canada until mid-September. The rapper will then resume his tour 11 days in Amsterdam and play throughout Europe before finishing the tour in the UK in November.

Supporting 50 Cent across all dates will be his long-time friend Busta Rhymes and on all North American dates will be Chicago-based hip hop artist Jeremih. More guests are to be announced.

Tickets for Europe and UK dates will be available on local presale at 10 am local time on Wednesday 10^th May. Tickets will be on sale to the general public at 10 am local time on Friday 12^th May. For more information and tickets see here.

The best-selling album of 2003, 50 Cent put gangsta rap back in style with his effortless charm and heaps of swagger on his debut. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was released on the 6^th February 2003 via Interscope, Dr Dre’s Aftermath, Eminem’s Shady, and 50’s own label G-Unit. The record was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 46^th Grammys, won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the 2003 American Music Awards, and Top Billboard 200 Album at the 2003 Billboard Music Awards. Numerous publications have listed it as one of the best records of the noughties with Rolling Stone placing it at number 280 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time List.

Watch the video for “In Da Club” below:

It’s been a year since 50 Cent performed in the UK. Last June, the rapper played in Manchester, Edinburgh, and London as part of his Green Light Gang World Tour.

Last year, 50 collaborated with Lil Durk and Jermih on the single “Power Powder Respect”. The Rapper has not released an album since his fifth LP, 2014’s Animal Ambition. Fans are speculating that the title of his tour indicates this may be 50’s final tour before he steps back from music.

See below for the full list of 50 Cent’s Europe and UK dates:

28/09/23 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam
29/09 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg
30/09 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen
04/10 – Spektrum – Oslo
05/10 – Spektrum – Trondheim
07/10 – Avicii Arena – Stockholm
09/10 – Arena Riga – Riga
11/10 – Atlas Arena – Lodz
14/10 – Mercedes-Benz Arena – Berlin
15/10 – Rudolf-Weber-Arena – Oberhausen
20/10 – Hallenstadion – Zurich
21/10 – Palais Nikaia – Nice
22/10 – Mediolanum Forum – Milan
24/10 – Olympiahalle – Munich
25/10 – SAP Arena – Mannheim
26/10 – Forest National – Brussels
28/10 – O2 Arena – Prague
31/10 – Zenith – Strasbourg
02/11 – Zenith – Nantes
03/11 – La Defense Arena – Paris
06/11 – 3Arena – Dublin
09/11 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
10/11 – AO Arena – Manchester
11/11 – The O2 – London
12/11 – Resorts World Arena – Birmingham

JUST ANNOUNCED
Jack Harlow is heading out on the Come Home The Kids Miss You tour this November 2022

On sale Thursday 25 August at 09:00 >> https://t.co/KzGnI9bbLm@jackharlow pic.twitter.com/W3rPANk3Ci

— ticketmasteruk (@TicketmasterUK) August 22, 2022

Come Home The Kids Miss You debuted at number four on the Official Albums Chart earlier this year. The record became Jack’s first-ever UK Top 10 album. The success of the lead single “First Class”, Jack’s first Top 10 record as a solo artist, sampled Fergie’s 2000s smash hit “Glamorous” and reached Number 2 on the Official Singles Chart, helped to propel the album up the charts. The album also featured two more UK Top 40 songs, “Churchill Downs”, a collaboration with Drake and “Dua Lipa”, and a tribute to the British pop icon, the tracks reaching number 19 and 33, respectively.This isn’t Harlow’s first brush with the Top 10; in 2021, his collaboration with Lil Nas X, “Industry Baby”, reached Number 3 on the UK Singles Charts. 

Harlow and Nas, along with Kendrick Lamar, lead the way with seven nominations at this year’s MTV VMA Awards, leading the Louisville native to pull out of this weekend’s Reading & Leeds Festival due to his desire to perform at the ceremony. The awards take place at New Jersey’s Prudential Center on Sunday, August 28^th, the same day Harlow was scheduled to appear at the festival. The festival organisers confirmed the news on August 15^th.

Jack Harlow and Maneskin have decided to pull out to play at an award show in New York! @OfficialRandL Who will replace them? pic.twitter.com/r6ZtEd5QhX — The RandL Mill (@TheRandLMill) August 15, 2022

“We are saddened to hear that Jack Harlow and Måneskin have decided to perform at an award show the same weekend they were confirmed to play Reading & Leeds.” We are working on some exciting replacements to join Arctic Monkeys, Dave, Bring Me The Horizon,  The 1975, Halsey, Megan Thee Stallion, D-Block Europe, PinkPantheress, Joy Crookes, Fontaines DC, Bastille, Willow, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Hybrid Minds and many others at Reading & Leeds Festivals this August Bank Holiday weekend, watch this space!” The festival wrote in a post shared on Instagram Stories.

The only acts to have debuted a song on Spotify with over 10 million unfiltered streams in 2022:
• #BLACKPINK
• #BadBunny
• #HarryStyles
• #JackHarlow pic.twitter.com/ogPqN4gyMd

— World Music Awards (@WORLDMUSICAWARD) August 21, 2022

To round off Harlow’s bumper year, the rapper joins Black Pink, Harry Styles and Bad Bunny as “the only acts to have debuted a song on Spotify with over 10 million unfiltered streams in 2022“.

Jack Harlow’s Come Home The Kids Miss You UK Tour dates:

2/11/2022 – O2 Academy – Birmingham
3/11 – OVO Arena  – London
4/11 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
7/11 – O2 Academy – Leeds
8/11 – Rock City – Nottingham

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The North West London singer-songwriters latest release pays tribute to his hometown with lyrics referencing the streets that he walks day to day. ‘These streets that I walk in were never made for me’, his foreign identity in the streets that he was born in is expressed in his soulful voice as he makes reference to the current world climate throughout his song.

The video was directed by Walid Labri and premiered on Complex UK, the visuals show Moe moving around his local area of Wembley, North West London and features a scene in the studio of rising Nigerian artist Olaoluslawn. His latest release follows on from his previous single ‘Turned out alright’, another ode to his local community and friends he grew up around in North West London with the video featuring a cameo from Wembley local and internet sensation Chunkz.

In an interview with Complex UK, the singer said “There’s discord between what we desire and what benefits the soul,”, his music is heavily tied to his faith and lyrics such as “Wake up in the morning, pray my Salah / If I got what I wanted, would I see Jannah?”, refers directly to what the artist had to say to Complex. As a Muslim just creating music is haram and Moe questions his wants with his ultimate goals of Jannah throughout his new release.

Moe has been releasing music since 2018 but with only 5 videos on Youtube and 4 songs on Spotify every time the artist drops it feels like an event with his cinematic videos and pure lyrics.

Cityboymoes new single ‘City on fire’ is available on all streaming platforms.

Watch the video for the song down below:

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 The upcoming project will be the 36-year-old rappers 11th release since his debut mixtape ‘Learn from my mixtapes’ which was released in 2008. The featured artists on Wretchs upcoming project are all from the crop of young UK talent, it isn’t new for Wretch to work with the younger generation of UK artists having released a joint mixtape in 2015 titled ‘Young fire old flame’ with fellow Tottenham lyricist and at the time of release 22-year-old Avelino. The standout feature on the upcoming project looks to be Sin squads’ Kay Kayy who is the nephew of Wretch 32.

The rapper from Tottenham grew up on the infamous Broadwater farm estate, his father Millard Scott was an influential part of the community on the historic estate, being caught up in the 1985 Broadwater farm riots in which his family was paid damages for in 2011 and in 2020 the then 62-year-old was tasered by police during a raid on his house while he was caring for his son who suffers from cerebral palsy. After the incident, the 62-year old said “I could so easily have died and had my name added to the long list of black people who have died at the hands of the police in Tottenham,”

Wretch 32 has always carried a strong message in his music, uplifting and supporting the black and working-class communities in the UK. The rapper released a 3-minute freestyle on his Instagram titled ‘#3minutesofsilence’ the day before his project announcement in which he showcases his immense rapping talent and speaks on the last year in the UK, condemning the work of the government, Boris Johnsons lack of leadership and the colonial history of England.

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Wretch 32s project ‘little BIG man’ will be released on the 28th of may on all digital platforms.

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The duo has sat on the top of the charts for three weeks with their drill song ‘Body’, the first drill song to go number one in the UK. The song has over 40 million Spotify streams and has continued to grow through Tiktok and the first remix which featured, Ardee, E1, ZT, Bugzy Malone, Buni, Fivio Foreign and Darkoo, and currently has 55 million Spotify streams.

This is not the drill rappers first chart success after releasing ‘Keisha & Becky’ in 2019, which similarly to ‘Body’ was followed by a remix that featured, Aitch, Swarmz, Sav’o and Jay 1, and helped the single reach number seven in the charts.

Individually Tion has had 5 top tens, the two featuring Russ, Nsgs’ ‘Options, ‘I Dunno’ with Stormzy and Dutchavelli, and a feature with Swarmz on KSIs song ‘Houdini’. Russ has had three, the two with Tion and his own single ‘Gun Lean’, which can be seen to have been one of the first commercial drill songs that gained chart success.

Jack Harlow rose to fame after the success of his single ‘What poppin’ a song that similarly to ‘Body’ was assisted and skyrocketed by its use on social media, especially TikTok. The 23-year-old who is signed to Atlantic records jumped on the drill hit with references to Chelsea American winger Christian Pulisic, Fulhams black and white kits and Bed, bath and beyond.

The Remix to ‘Body’ featuring Jack Harlow is available on all digital platforms.