One of London’s favourite day festivals returned to Brockwell Park last Friday for another scintillating display of some of the best and most exciting talent emanating from the UK and beyond. This year, Project 6 teamed up with Rinse FM, the beating heart of UK underground radio, to celebrate their 30th anniversary, curating one of their biggest festival line-ups to date from emerging talent such as London-based Keyrah, all the way to US stalwarts Freddie Gibbs and Madlib. An all-encompassing showcase of cutting-edge music, there was an act for everyone to enjoy and kickstart their summer in true fashion. A celebratory affair, punters in their thousands as out-of-office emails were switched on and desks vacated early in order to head down to south-east London for some well-earned enjoyment, especially after a washed out April and May.
Excitement had been building for months since the line-up was announced at the back end of last year, promising one of the biggest day festival line-ups to come out of London in recent years. Headlines from the likes of Nines, Pusha T, AJ Tracey, Katy B and CASISDEAD were released, as well as a plethora of emerging talent, all playing across five intimate stages hosted by the likes of Places+Faces, fabric, Outlook, Kool, Sports Banger, DaMetalMessiah and more.
Over the course of the day, some of the world’s best rap talent was on display. London’s favourite, Oscar #Worldpeace, kicked off proceedings with an early set over on the main stage, delivering his seamless flow across multiple intricate productions. These included old time, fan-favourites such as “ICED OUT SUMMER” and “Mmm”, as well as a handful of new songs from his widely acclaimed recent project Mum, Pray for Your Son. Unknown T followed shortly after, welcoming a stream of punters who had just arrived into the grounds, showcasing why he is one of the best drill rappers emanating from the capital with his sleek lyricism and iconic ad-libs. “Goodums” and “Homerton B” were of course brandished, much to the delight of the sun-soaked crowd. But it was perhaps one of the festivals most anticipated acts, CASISDEAD, who drew the biggest numbers of the afternoon. Fresh from his monumental Brit Award for best Hip-Hop/ Rap/ Grime artist, the cult-figure did not disappoint, digging deep into his back catalogue for tracks such as “All Hallows” and “Drugs”, as well as mixing in some house and garage cuts to keep things fresh for summer.
West London’s AJ Tracey served up a charismatic set, whilst America reminded us why they remain ahead of the pack, with a seamless set from recent Kanye West collaborator, Freddie Gibbs, alongside rap trailblazer, Madlib, on the decks — who is widely regarded by many as the godfather of rap productions. The pair were celebrating their classic Piñata album which has just turned 10 years old. Accompanied by a live band, Freddie was able to glide across the stage to deliver his flawless bars, before, in customary fashion, taking his top off for the second half.
Thanks to this year’s partnership with Rinse FM, the DJ line up across the festival proved to be a flawless curation. Over at Places+Faces, Birmingham-born, London-based emerging selector Keyrah welcomed guests in the middle of the site via her blends of hip-hop, R&B, and amapiano before the towering figure of Scottish DJ and producer, Kilimanjaro, took the reigns for a faster, up-tempo set packed full of international sounds and percussive elements. P-rallel proudly represented West London with his garage-infused cuts, whilst Ghanaian master Juls reminded us why he’s one of the most revered DJ’s on the international circuit.
Around the corner, fabriclive hosted a series of fan favourites, perhaps most notably a masterclass from SBTRKT who hopped between old and new material in front of a packed out crowd in an open sided tent which allowed for a more contained sound. With the sun setting, and the festival in full flow, DJ Seinfeld and DJ Boring took it in turns to fight it out with their house and disco-infused material, before legendary d&b and jungle trailblazer, Shy FX, rounded up proceedings with a trademark high-octane set full of edits and remixes.
Back on the mainstage, it was the US vs UK, as Pusha T took to the main stage for a rare UK performance delivering classics such as “Nosetalgia” and “Santeria” much to the crowds delight. To finish off the day, London’s rap kingpin Nines entered with his calming presence and back catalogue of countless classics including a number of tracks from his most popular album, Crabs In A Bucket, and Crop Circles trilogy. A surprise appearance from Skrapz capped off an immaculate set from London’s most recognised rhymer.
All in all, Project 6 returned for another elevated showcase of innovative artists, sounds and labels, working in perfect tandem with London’s most recognised underground radio station Rinse FM. Special shoutout to DaMetalMessiah who hosted a stage with straight vibes throughout the day.