New York – 12 hours ago

Photo Credit: MIKE Screengrab

Brooklyn rapper MIKE is bringing the hip-hop and soul vibes to his borough this summer. On Tuesday (April 25), first acts for MIKE’s Young World III festival were announced, including Noname, Georgia Anne Muldrow and 454.

Noname, who’s recently expanded chapters of Noname Book Club, has announced that her long-awaited sophomore album, Sundial, will be released in July. Muldrow, who released her latest album VWETO III in 2021, is featured on new Sun Ra tribute album Nuclear War – A Tribute to Sun Ra: Volume 1. 454, who hails from Orlando, Florida, released his sophomore album Fast Trax 3 last October.

Last year, MIKE was interviewed by Rolling Stone about the Young World festival, which began in 2019. “When I came up with the idea for Young World, that’s one of the things that I thought,” acknowledging Slick Rick, who was the headliner for Young World 2. The festival is also named after Rick’s track from his 1988 debut album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

The festival is also slated to be a part of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage 2023 season, with additional events celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Following Young World III, Grandmaster Flash returns to the Bronx for the “Birth of a Culture” on August 2, and Hip-Hop 50 Special Edition Showcase will be held at Coney Island on August 6 featuring Special Ed and more artists, and hosted by Ralph “D.M.C.” McDaniels.

Young World III is scheduled for July 15 and entry is free.