Festivalpark Werchter Belgium
He’s a veritable icon, a top talent and one of the UK’s greatest stars. Stormzy is the king of grime, Britain’s raw answer to American rap. A man with such drive and charisma belongs on Rock Werchter’s Main Stage, so on Thursday 29 June, he takes the slot before Stromae.
In 2019, Stormzy became the first black British solo artist to make it as headliner at Glastonbury. Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. is nothing less than a socio-cultural pioneer. He owns a publishing house for authors from minority groups and supports a score of black scholarship students at the University of Cambridge. Time magazine placed him on the cover as a ‘next generation leader’, all based on a record that shifted the goal posts – because how could it not? ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’ (2017) made dark, fierce grime accessible to a wide audience. His reward? The Brit Award for Album of the Year. Stormzy evolves at a rapid pace. On ‘This Is What I Mean’ (2022) the beats are softer, revealing his soul. He is in peak form.
Rock Werchter 2023 takes place in the Festivalpark in Werchter from Thursday 29 June to Sunday 2 July. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.be. Earlier this week, the line-up was expanded with 30 new names. More will follow soon.