Lauryn Hill to headline inaugural Diaspora Calling! at National Bowl tomorrow
Grammy-winning singer, rapper and songwriter Lauryn Hill will headline the inaugural Diaspora Calling! at the National Bowl this week.
The event, taking place in the UK for the first time, will see Hill joined by Wyclef Jean, Erykah Badu, Giggs and other acts at the Milton Keynes venue on Friday, August 7.
Originally launched in 2016, Diaspora Calling! was conceived by Lauryn Hill as a music and art initiative celebrating the culture, creativity and shared histories of the African diaspora.
The project began with a curated art exhibition and live performance at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, where Ms Hill presented a gallery focused heavily on Haitian art alongside a programme of live music.
The concept later expanded into a tour that featured artists including Nas, Kehlani, Noname and Little Simz.
Across its various iterations, the platform has centred on themes of unity, resilience and cultural exchange among African descendant communities worldwide.
Lauryn Hill’s vast influence spans hip-hop, soul and R&B.
She first rose to prominence as part of the game-changing Fugees before releasing her landmark solo album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’, which earned five Grammy Awards.
Hill is celebrated for her lyrical depth and genre-blending sound and is a culturally significant artist whose work continues to centre identity, spirituality and social consciousness.
Her performance at the National Bowl is scheduled to be her only UK performance of 2026.
Supporting her is Wyclef Jean, a fellow Grammy-winning artist, producer and founding member of the Fugees whose sound blends hip-hop with Caribbean, soul and global influences.
Neo-soul singer-songwriter Erykah Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s with her debut album Baduizm which went three times platinum.
UK rapper Giggs has previously won a MOBO Award for Best Hip Hop Act and has released numerous albums since his 2008 debut Walk in da Park.
Representing a new generation is YG Marley who brings conscious lyricism and reggae-rooted sounds that reflect the legacy of his family while carving out his own contemporary voice.
Zion Marley continues the Marley lineage with his own modern fusion of reggae, soul and hip-hop to the diaspora-inspired line-up.
Making up the bill is Fireboy DML and host Dave Chappelle.
Tickets are available from £50 in advance before fees and £175 for VIP access. Discounts are available for group bookings.
For more information, visit https://www.diasporacalling.com.