HENNESSY HIP HOP HOUSE @ BODY & SOUL 2023

JYellowL

The Hennessy Hip Hop House and The Hennessy Music Trail at Body & Soul 2023 was an electrifying celebration of Irish hip hop and a tribute to 50 years of Hip Hop globally. Hennessy continues to solidify its place within the Irish hip hop scene as tastemakers and champions of music and culture. Serving up the best in cultural expression and creative cocktails, Hennessy brought its signature blend to festival goers for another year at Body & Soul, with a mixture of bold and immersive surprises lined up.

50 years ago, hip hop gave a voice to a generation of talent in the South Bronx that felt distant from society and used it as an outlet of expression. More recently, it has become one of Ireland’s most loved music genres, thanks to a group of pioneers who proudly convey Irish culture through their art.

Hennessy has been a favourite amongst the hip hop community, with artists name checking the cognac for many years from Biggie in the 90s to Drake, Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar more recently. These prodigies created the platform for an explosive new generation of artists, who are fearless and daring in their music, to burst onto the Irish hip hop music scene. Members of this new era took to the stage in Ballinlough with Hennessy, kicking off on Friday with the critically acclaimed JyellowL, who’s debut 2020 album D|vision reached No. 2 on the official iTunes album charts. Joining him on the opening night celebrations were American house and funk DJ Tee Cardaci, Irish DJs Aoife Nic Canna, Handsome Paddy and RíRá, British DJ and Massive Attack star Daddy G, jazz and soul artist Hewan Mulugeta, Limerick rap star Strange Boy and hip hop fanatic Arveene.

Guests were also treated to four incredible headliners along the Hennessy Music Trail. Kojaque was on the mainstage, along with Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra, the Godfathers of drum and bass, iconic Irish rap star Denise Chaila and RTE Choice Prize Song of the Year 2020 nominee Gemma Dunleavy, showing the world why she is the rising star of the Irish urban scene.

Saturday featured conversations and panel discussions from emerging Irish voices with District Presents: The Future of Irish Music, graffiti from Rask & Sums (TdaKlann) and breakdance from Northern Soles Crew. Arveene hosted The Story of Irish Hip Hop with amazing guests and later in the evening including Irish sensation Aby Coulibaly, who was followed by God Knows, MuRli and Mango. Sunday saw an eye-catching lineup with panel talks, graffiti, breakdance, workshops, Paint & Sip and a conversation hosted by Stevie G on Hip Hop’s influence in Art, Dance and Fashion and later in the evening rising rapper and songwriter Celaviedmai brought the energy with her live set.

Aby Coulibaly