The Big Romance to host Irish hip-hop artists for 'Cold Summit'

On Wednesday, May 24th, The Big Romance will host a rake of Irish hip-hop sensations for Cold Summit - including Nealo, Jehnova, Celaviedmai, Luthorist, Rebel Phoenix and a DJ set from fellow Nuxsense member and producer sivv.

The event will take place from 6:30pm until 10:30pm at 98 Parnell Street, compiling illustrious writers and producers to "form a culture of kinship and community."

The night will see rap performances from some of the nation's most talented artists, with the masterful sivv spinning records for the evening at the DJ decks.

Jehnova, Luthorist and sivv have been rising up the hip-hop ranks in Ireland and London as part of hip-hop collective Nuxsense. Constantly collaborating is part and parcel of the intensely creative group, who work on each other's albums and feature heavily on their different respective EPs and albums.

NUXSENSE (press).

"Most of the members had dabbled in music in some form or another, so by the time we all became friends about 10 years ago, we had a common interest," Jehnova told Hot Press in a Q&A last year of the group. "We had a Bluetooth speaker and just freestyled when we were loitering. Our styles would organically complement each other. Rems had the idea for the name, and we all stamped and solidified it into a lifestyle. It gave a bunch of young, mischievous, bored kids a higher purpose on a physical, mental and spiritual level – hence the double entendre in the name."

Meanwhile, Jehnova recently returned with new single 'Porcelain', while sivv and Luthorist dropped their brilliant de/compress mixtape on April 7th this year.

Dublin rapper Nealo has also come back on the scene in recent weeks, collaborating with Saint Sister songwriter Morgana McIntyre on gorgeous single 'Forest'.

“Forest was one of those songs that you dream about, that just falls out of you. After my first album was released I wrote nothing for a long long time and then all of a sudden everything flows at once," Nealo remarked.

"I really felt how powerful songs can be to heal ourselves from all of the weight that we carry. The caged emotions, the birth of my son, the breakup of my marriage, the goodbyes to friends lost through drugs and suicide, the uncaring systems of power, the mother and baby homes, the homophobia and racism of the internet, the direct provision system, the housing crisis, the struggles of our friends and family. All of it was just pent up inside me and ready to come out at the right time. And it did on this song. Forest was written at the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Morgana. We met in the magic town of Doolin in Clare and have been thick as thieves ever since. This is the first song we created together.”

His debut album All The Leaves Are Falling earned an RTÉ Choice Prize nomination for Album of the Year. Let's hope he's got another on the way for later in 2023!

Fellow Dubliner Rebel Phoenix has earned respect for his diverse, dexterous rhyming over breakbeats, trap beats or atmospheric soundscapes. He released his latest single 'Kaleidoscope' earlier this year following 2022's 'All Or Nothing'. 2016 saw him release his 16-track album D.M.T.N.T. (Dead Men Tell No Tales).

One of the brightest young rappers and performers on the Irish scene, Celaviedmai continues to mark herself as a star poised for an international breakthrough – following lauded live appearances, and the release of her Both Sides of the Story EP last year. She's currently working with Zapho of The X Collective, sharing 'Pay the Piper' a few weeks ago.

Get your tickets to Cold Summit for just €10 via Eventbrite now.