Fix up, look sharp: Dizzee Rascal to perform in the UAE

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Dizzee Rascal, the award-winning musician often regarded as a pioneer of the London Grime scene, will perform at Emirates Golf Club on October 28, courtesy of BookMyShow Middle East, a leading event content producer. Promising an unforgettable night featuring No1 hit singles such as Bonkers, Dance Wiv Me and Holiday, the show marks the artist’s first appearance in the Emirates in close to a decade. Here is Dizzee Rascal grooving in Bonkers: “Some people think I’m bonkers But I just think I’m free Man, I’m just living my life There’s nothing crazy about me Some people pay for thrills But I get mine for free.”

He raps thus in Holiday: “I know you’re tired of the same old scenery And I could change all that so easily Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, girl, take a chance I’ll take you to the south of France like Cannes And if anybody can, I can We could both shop in the Milan I just hope you understand I hope you see it clear It really don’t matter how far or near ‘Cause there’s no distance that could stop my persistence Just a few days of the year Plus I’ve got clout, so let’s ride out We ain’t gotta fly, we can just drive out.”

Known for his energetic stage presence and infectious rhymes, Dizzee Rascal — who beat the likes of Coldplay, Radiohead, and The Darkness to the 2003 Mercury Music Prize — promises to deliver an electrifying performance that will leave fans old and new craving more. Born Dylan Kwabena Mills in London, Dizzee Rascal released his debut album Boy in da Corner in 2003 and is regarded as one of the UK rap scene’s most successful artists. His second album, Tongue n’ Cheek, was a critically praised and certified platinum, with sales exceeding 300,000 units.

Having achieved five British No1s, he continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his unique blend of grime and rap. When starting to make music in his teenage years, Dizzee Rascal “learned to rap fast” over drum and bass tracks with 170-180 bpm, in contrast to the slower tempos of UK Garage. He also recalls being influenced by crunk (Three 6 Mafia, Lil Jon), grunge music, Black Sabbath and by Timbaland’s work around that time. “We are thrilled to bring the legendary Dizzee Rascal to Dubai for what promises to be an exhilarating live concert.

His unmatched energy, talent and groundbreaking contributions to the Grime scene, make him a true icon,” said Lawrence Harradine, Lead — Business, Middle East, BookMyShow UAE. “Anybody who has seen Dizzee perform before will know this is not a show to miss, and anybody who has not seen him live yet, this is the perfect opportunity to do so at an intimate venue where the power of his performance will be palpable.”

Dizzee Rascal previously performed in the UAE, DJing first at Creamfields in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and again two years later at Dubai’s Sandance Festival. Rumours of his return almost a decade since his last appearance, have already generated excitement among fans and music enthusiasts. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the PlatinumList website or mobile app. Owned and operated by Big Tree Entertainment Pvt Ltd (founded in 1999), BookMyShow works with entertainment industry partners to provide live entertainment experiences to millions of customers around the world.

It is an end-to-end management agency of live entertainment events including music concerts, live performances, theatricals, sports and more. A strategic expansion outside of its historic markets across the Asian sub-continent and Far East, BookMyShow Middle East launched in the UAE in 2019. In the last year alone, it has brought numerous AAA entertainment acts to the UAE, including Westlife — Twenty Tour, Boyz II Men, The 1975, Vir Das -The Loved Tour, Why Not Mazzika, to name a few, and ticketed for numerous shows, including A.R. Rahman, Emirates Airline Jazz Fest and RedFestDxb, plus others.