LIVE REVIEWS
Sunday night (July 8), Brooklyn’s Pro Era kept Capital STEEZ’s memory alive with the fourth annual STEEZ Day Festival. At New York City’s Central Park, along with Pro Era, rappers like MadeInTYO, Dirty Sanchez, Aaron Rose, Dessy Hinds, among others paid homage to the founding member of Pro Era, who died by suicide in 2012.
The sun beamed down on Central Park as the DJ entertained the crowd by spinning classics records like A Tribe Called Quest's “Scenario” and Eric B. and Rakim's “Paid in Full.” But the millennial concertgoers weren’t activated until the DJ spinned Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares.”
The hip-hop spectacle, which offered hope to deal with mental illness, commenced with a charged-up performance by Dessy Hinds, who ran through his street single “Savior.” Pro Era’s CJ Fly, who announced that he's working on an album with Statik Selektah, warmed the crowd with a Pro Era throwback performance of “Hardknock,” a song from Joey Bada$$’ 1999 album, which recently turned six years old.
As the Mary Jane settled into the systems of fans, Nyck Caution, decked in a white t-shirt and black joggers, stormed the stage to thundering applause. The Disguise the Limit rapper spit verses from “Off the Wall,” and “All Night.”
The nimble ryhmeslinger bounced around stage like a lively point guard, even diving into the mosh pit to perform for the rowdy concertgoers and losing a shoe in the process. Caution’s set was highlighted by his performance of “Out of Reach,” a song he wrote after receiving the unfortunate news about STEEZ's death. Central Park grew quiet as Caution rapped:
"But I promise that a suicide don't ever make it simplify/And I remember like it's yesterday/Its the coldest winter evening when that text message escalate/Like we don't even know his whereabouts/And yo that twitter got some crazy shit, it's something that we scared about/I tried to call buthe was distant/And I ain't even seen him since the Stussy shirt drop/But PEEP started poppin' and the Era lookin' brighter than it ever did/But somethings changing, everything was so unsettling/Coming up within the month you started proving everybody your intelligence."
After a moment of silence, Caution's partner-in- rhyme Kirk Knight eagerly sprung onstage. Wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, Knight jumped into "Wake Up," a song from Nyck @ Knight, a joint album with Caution. Knight took part in the mosh pit spectacle, too, by crowd surfing in the middle of his set.
The clock inched toward 8 pm, the sun dropped below the horizon, and concertgoers' mental went from buzzed to high, and Mick Jenkins, Jay Critch, and The Underachievers, who shouted out XXXTentcion, performed solid sets.
A hometown crowd saved plenty of praise for NYC's own Flatbush Zombies crew and Joey Bada$$, whose assaults on stage provided the evening's climax.
Group member Erick The Architect being confined to a wheelchair didn't stop the Flatbush Zombies' energy, as the trio had the crowd throwing elbows and bouncing around to songs like "Headstone," "Victory," and "Vacation" from their latest offering Vacation in Hell.
Joey Bad$$ closed out the night. With a American flag, made of red and blue bandanas, hanging behind him, Joey offered the hope for the future with for those battling mental health with his performance of gripping songs "Devastated," "Land of the Free," and "For my People," songs from All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$.
Overall, STEEZ Day served as a reminder that mental health should be at the forefront of our daily lives. With STEEZ' death, JAY Z's and Royce da 5'9"'s counseling confessions, and Logic's engrossing songs "1-800-237-8255" and "Anziety," it looks hip-hop is beginning to wrap its mind around the seriousness of the mental.
LIVE REVIEWS
The closing hours of Reading 2026 have finally arrived. Florence + The Machine brought the rain during ‘Dog Days Are Over’ at The Grid, opening the heavens and leaving the festival site completely soaked. The weary fans who have stayed behind are wet, exhausted and clearly feeling the effects of the weekend. What they need now is one final enormous celebration to make the wait worthwhile.
The Gallery tent comes alive as the speakers blast ‘Favourite’ by Friday’s headliners and fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C., receiving the kind of reaction usually reserved for ‘Mr Brightside’ at a drunken wedding reception. Moments later, Kneecap display their familiar statement accusing Israel of carrying out genocide against the people of Palestine and Lebanon, with support from the UK government. It captures the Belfast rap trio perfectly, combining serious political messages with an unapologetic party atmosphere.
“We use our platform to talk about what we believe is right,” Mo Chara explains during the performance, before recognising those who “aren’t so fucking lucky” and whose voices have been suppressed. He soon encourages the audience to roar “fuck Netanyahu” and “free free Palestine”. Later, he starts a powerful chant of “Aaaaaa-ndy Buuurn-ham’s a waaaaaaan-ker” to the melody of ‘Seven Nation Army’, targeting our new Prime Minister over his claim that “a united Ireland is off the table”. Laughing, he asks: “The BBC won’t broadcast that, or will they?” As it turned out, they did not.
Away from the headlines and the controversy, there is no denying the connection Kneecap have built with their audience. Politics may shape the conversation, but the crowd also came to enjoy themselves, ready for a rave after the rally. The performance begins carefully with the heavy rumble of ‘Smugglers & Scholars’, before exploding during the Grian Chatten collaboration ‘Better Way To Live’ and the threatening energy of ‘Sick In The Head’. “Are ya ready for a mad one?” Mo Chara shouts. The response is already obvious.
The atmosphere becomes increasingly chaotic as the hip hop rhythm of ‘Cold At The Top’ and the hypnotic trance sounds of ‘An Ra’ send the entire tent into motion. The trio jokingly thank the UK for everything it has given Ireland, listing UKIP, fish and chips, a mental health crisis, Jimmy Saville, HP Sauce and Bloody Sunday. However, the show reaches another level once the second half begins. The explosive ‘Sayonara’ brings the ‘beef’ to ‘IBEEFA’, while ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘Guilty Conscience’ give the crowd every reason to obey Móglaí Bap’s demand to “oooopen up the piiiiiit”.
Anyone watching closely may have questioned why the cameras continued to focus on Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara. The pair eventually reveal that they have spent recent weeks performing alongside a “provisional” DJ Próvai. Wearing the familiar tricolour balaclava, the temporary replacement handles his role as the crowd agitator with confidence while their bandmate enjoys some paternity leave. “Some things are more important than music, and that’s family,” they explain. How sweet. Móglaí Bap quickly destroys the tender moment by adding: “As you might know, the Brits took all our potatoes from Ireland; they took all our cocaine,” before declaring, “but we still have all our caaandy.” The group then charge directly into one of the biggest tracks ever written about extremely powerful ketamine.
‘Liar’s Tale’ sparks another huge reaction with its response to Keir Starmer, “genocide armer”, while the group warn that “you’re not getting away with doing nothing”. It is a politically charged message hidden inside an irresistible anthem from musicians who have experienced the “belly of the beast” through the legal system. Their latest album, ‘Fenian’, has helped Kneecap fully embrace the celebration that has always been part of their identity. Their live production now feels capable of filling arenas, blending the intimacy of a late night lock in with the rhythmic force and visual scale of The Chemical Brothers, the reckless electronic punk spirit of The Prodigy, and the fearless political honesty of Public Enemy. The spectacular visuals complete the experience.
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Closing with the powerful combination of ‘Fenian’, ‘H.O.O.D.’ and the enormous ‘The Recap’, Kneecap bring our final celebration at Reading to a thrilling conclusion while also finishing their last festival appearance of the summer. “It’s been a pleasure to spend it with you mad c**ts,” Mo Chara says before leaving the stage. The feeling is mutual.
Return to NME here for the newest reports, reviews, photographs, conversations and further coverage from Reading & Leeds 2026.
