Rising hip-hop star Leo to entertain at Nahinch Notes

Rising hip-hop star Leo to entertain at Nahinch Notes

16 October 2024

LEO Miyagee, a rising star of the Northern Irish hip-hop scene and the self-described “rap dynamo”, comes to Ballynahinch Market House for the second concert in the Nahinch Notes series this Friday evening.

Miyagee has quickly garnered critical praise for his versatile style, blending punchy lyricism with jazz undertones and has received multiple nominations at the NI Music awards, including BBC Artist of the Year, Best Album, and Best Live Act. 

Having moved to Northern Ireland from south London when he was only 13, Leo Miyagee now calls Stranmillis in south Belfast home and has been described by the Nialler9 site as being one of “the most unique voices in the city’s ever-expanding music scene since he first emerged in 2018”.

From an early age he was surrounded by music and recently told UTV that “some of the very, very earliest memories I have of music are going to church with my family – my mum, my auntie, my uncles, my cousins. At the time I was really, really young so I didn’t really like church. I’d get kind of bored but I would always enjoy the choir.”

At home the sounds of Bob Marley, Sade and Nigerian artist Femi Kuti would fill his house, although the sound he now creates shows most clearly the influence of Kendrick Lamar.

For Gareth Gordon, chair of the Ballynahinch Community Collective which organises the Nahinch Notes concert series, Miyagee’s visit to the town promises to be a special night.

“Leo is a huge talent, and it is an enormous privilege to be able to bring an artist like this to our town,” he said.

“After the success of our first show with Charlie Hanlon last month, this will undoubtedly be a night not to be missed.”

Tickets for the show are free thanks to the support of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, and the concert is open to all ages. Tickets can be booked on the Nahinch Notes Eventbrite page.