Outspoken hip-hop impresario Kanye West will headline the upcoming “Summer Week & T” music festival joined by frequent collaborator, fellow rapper and critics’ darling, Lupe Fiasco.
The two-day event will be held on the sands of Naksan Beach in Yangyang County of Gangwon Province on Aug. 6-7.
Also on the bill are veteran local hip-hop trio DJ DOC, who will attract the late-20s to mid-30s crowd in droves.
The group, which has been around for over two decades, has in recent years enjoyed a resurgence since staging beach and water-themed concerts during the summer season.
Outspoken hip-hop star Kanye West (left) and alternative rapper Lupe Fiasco are set to headline the inaugural “Summer Week & T” music festival next month on the Naksan Beach in Yangyang, Gangwon Province SK Telecom
They will be featured alongside a line-up stacked full of artists in the dance and electronic genre.
Scottish “King of Electropop” Calvin Harris, widely credited with bringing the chic back into the disco genre through European club hits “Acceptable in the ’80s” and “The Girls” will co-headline the festival organized by SK Telecom.
Among the supporting local acts scheduled to perform are House Rules, The Quiet, Dokki, Jazzy Ivy, and One Soul Band.
According to the festival organizers, the event will aim to be on par with similar outdoor beachside music extravaganzas like the “Full Moon Party” in Ko Phangan, Thailand, and will attempt to emulate the festive party atmosphere of the hugely popular Spanish resort island, Ibiza where millions of tourists gather annually for some fun in the sun.
Not much is known about the 28-year-old West in Korea.
Known for his unique blend of soul, smooth jazz, and funk in his rap records, the Chicago native has found a loyal following among purists.
His crossover style has fared well enough for a number of popular rock festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury, and Virgin Festival.
Among his fans in the rap game is record mogul and legend Jay-Z who had such high regard for Fiasco’s early material that the Rockafella Records’ chief executive produced his official debut studio album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor in 2006.
The record was a critical hit, but unfortunately saw modest record sales with the hit tracks “Kick, Push” and “Daydreamin.”
In 2008, he was honored with the much coveted Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Daydreamin.”
Before his official debut, he was active behind the scenes as Kanye’s ghost writer and as a songwriter and producer.
His performance at the “Summer Week & T” festival will nearly coincide with the release of his long anticipated third studio album, “Lasers.”
Tickets are currently on sale through www.11st.co.kr and Interpark www.ticket.interpark.com.
Single-day tickets are 120,000 won and the full two-day pass are priced at 160,000 won.
All SK Telecom subscribers will receive a 30 percent discount.
By Song Woong-ki (
kws@heraldcorp.com)
