DUBAI: US rapper Busta Rhymes, British DJ Carl Cox and Italian musical duo Tale of Us are set to headline Saudi Arabia’s new two-day music and arts festival Balad Beast by music and entertainment company MDLBEAST.
The event will take place in Jeddah’s Old Town – known as Al-Balad – on Dec. 9 and 10.
Set against the traditional neighborhood’s historic backdrop — itself a UNESCO World Heritage site — the event will also welcome local artists including Moayad, Jeme, Dafencii, and Anmarz.
Balad Beast features genres including hip-hop, EDM, house, rap and techno. The artists will perform across five different stages that will be known as Mirkaz Square, Roshan Square, Bab Square, Souq Square and Omda Square.
Talal Al-Bahiti, MDLBEAST’s head of talent booking and chief operating officer, said in a released statement: “Jeddah’s Old Town will be transformed into a stage for talents from near and far. This city is full of history, culture, and deeply rooted heritage, and through Balad Beast, we are striving to show the beauty of Jeddah to the world.”
“Given that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, MDLBEAST is coming in with a sustainable approach, eliminating any fireworks or pyrotechnics and replacing it with lightwork using 3D mapping and vibrant projections to bring life to the old buildings,” he added.
