Who We Be festival: Spotify unveils live music event in London to celebrate hip hop and grime

Spotify has announced its first live music event featuring the likes of Dizzee Rascal, J Hus and Stefflon Don as well as Cardi B’s first ever UK appearance. Named after a playlist with 143,000 followers, the "celebration of the best of urban, grime and hip hop from the UK and beyond" will take place at London's Alexandra Palace on 30 November with Giggs and Bugzy Malone also on the bill.

It has been a huge year for the Who We Be lineup with Dizzee returning with his first album (Raskit) in four years, J Hus passing the 150 million streams mark on Spotify, and Giggs thrilling Reading Fest crowds in August when he brought out Canadian hip-hop megastar Drake as a special guest.

With so many worldwide stars coming together under one roof there’s bound to be something for all tastes, so don't miss out on being part of Spotify's first ever festival; buy Who We Be tickets at StubHub UK now. 

Who We Be festival: Spotify's evening extravaganza aims to satisfy huge demand for live urban music

Just a week after Apple axed its annual music show at the Camden Roundhouse, Spotify has stepped in to fill the festival-shaped hole. Yet rather than directly replace Apple's festival – which has historically seen artists like Adele, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Elton John and Britney Spears play – Who We Be aims to satisfy the ever-growing demand for live urban music events in the UK. 

Austin Daboh, Senior Editor at Spotify, said: "Spotify has worked tirelessly to support British talent over the last year, and we’re proud to have played a key role in the success of various urban genres such as grime and rap. Who We Be Live at Alexandra Palace is Spotify’s first ever concert in the UK and will bring together some of the biggest and most exciting artists under one roof for an unforgettable night."

It seems that the increasingly crowded, hyper competitive nature of the music streaming market is great for fans, with brands such as Spotify doing all they can – including putting on huge festivals and events – in order to advertise their services. What Apple does next remains to be seen, while Amazon could be tempted to put on a similar event of their own to raise awareness of their Music Unlimited service. 

Similar events and festivals to Who We Be

As well as buying your Who We Be tickets at StubHub, why not look into other UK festival experiences? The Warehouse Project in Manchester offers 12 weeks of world-beating electronic music, while for heavy metal fans, June's Download Festival is a must.