A long-time supporter of Irish cultural talent, Hennessy today announces a new collaboration with ground-breaking music, arts and wellness festival Body & Soul.

On Friday, June 21, Hennessy and Body & Soul are set to present the Midnight Circus stage, a stellar line-up of Irish and international hip hop acts, specially curated by MangoXMathman collaborator, leading DJ and producer Adam Fogarty. The hugely popular Hennessy Sound Lounge returns to the ethereal surrounds of Ballinlough Castle offering festival goers the chance to enjoy the vinyl delights of a host of new collectors across the weekend. Body & Soul returns for another amazing, eclectic celebration over three days and nights from June 21^st – 23^rd.

Over the years some of the biggest artists have namechecked Hennessy in their lyrics, from Tupac and Biggie in the 90s to Drake and Kendrick Lamar more recently. The birth of hip hop 40 years ago in the south Bronx gave voice to a generation that felt they had none and it became the vehicle of choice for young people to express themselves, a genre which is still alive right now. Ireland’s journey with hip hop began in the very late 80s with a group of pioneers who unashamedly wore their Irishness in every bit of their art and today it has grown into one of the country’s best-loved genres. Delving into his unsurpassed knowledge of the Irish and international scene, Mathman has curated a stage featuring some of today’s best-known and up and coming hip hop and rap artists.

Taking to the Hennessy and Body & Soul Midnight Circus stage to set hands and spirits rising into the night will be Manchester hip-hop songstress IAMDDB with her heady mix of hip-hop, pounding trap and silky Afro jazz; genre-defying rapper and BBC Sound 2019 winner Octavian; multi-Award winning South London female rapper Miss Banks; leading figures in the new wave of exciting Irish urban music MangoXMathman; and West Belfast trio KNEECAP, who have been garnering recent critical acclaim, will rap as Gaeilge.

Commenting on his curation of the Hennessy and Body & Soul presents the Midnight Circus stage, Mathman said: “Over the last number of decades, Hennessy with its own rich traditions, has always supported Irish talent in music, arts and culture, and it’s a brand synonymous with hip hop music. It’s for these reasons I’m honoured and extremely excited to collaborate with Hennessy and Body & Soul to curate the Midnight Circus Stage on the Friday night this year. Their support of urban music means our incredible Irish talent can stand side-by-side with its international counterparts all on one line-up. I'm proud to say that exactly half of our stage is made up of Irish acts, which shows the strength of talent this country has to offer. The other 50% is made up of some of the most exciting, eclectic and sought after artists in the game right now, both male and female. From beginning to end, the night will be an artistically rich experience celebrating Irish and international talent, and in the truest essence of hip hop – a raucous party.”

Following its successful takeover of Hen’s Teeth in the heart of Dublin last summer, the Hennessy Sound Lounge makes its triumphant return at Body & Soul 2019 across the weekend with a host of new collectors sharing their favourite vinyl records and DJs playing into the night. Music lovers and the culturally curious will have the chance to relax with a Hennessy cocktail, meet some avid collectors and sit back and listen to a selection of music that has shaped their lives and careers, all on a custom crafted sound system by Toby Hatchett in a lounge inspired by Japanese listening rooms of the 70s. By night, dance to music from some of best selectors from Ireland and beyond.

Collectors at the Hennessy Sound Lounge at Body & Soul presenting their favourite sonic sounds include Body & Soul founding Director Avril Stanley and Music Booker Jenny Wren on their tenth solstice at Ballinlough and Mathman (Adam Fogarty) fresh from his curation of the Friday night Midnight Circus stage; and many more to be announced. DJs playing across the weekend include Vic Creezée (NTS / Patta Soundsystem), Hang Dai Soundsystem and Move Slow Records. The Hennessy Sound Lounge will be hosted by acclaimed Dublin DJ Sally Cinnamon and celebrated photographer Eddie Otchere, best known for his photographs of Biggie Smalls, the Wu Tang Clan and Aaliyah and other hip hop artists of the mid 1990s and early noughties.

Speaking about Hennessy’s collaboration with Body & Soul Festival, Elaine Cullen, Moët Hennessy Market Development Manager said: “Hennessy is intrinsically linked to Ireland and has been supporting Irish culture for decades. Body & Soul has been a showcase for amazing Irish and international culture for ten years now and each year is known for creating a magical line-up of musical delights, artistic exploration and more. It’s fantastic to be able to collaborate with Mathman and the festival to bring some of the leading names from the Irish and international hip hop scene to the Hennessy presents Midnight Circus stage. The Hennessy Sound Lounge proved a great success last summer so we’re looking forward to introducing it and a new group of vinyl collectors to Body & Soul’s curious, creative and imaginative audience”.

Previously announced acts playing Body & Soul include MODESELEKTOR (Live), The Blaze, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Santigold, Princess Nokia, Mashrou’ Leila, Kate Tempest, Mano Le Tough, The Black Lips, Talos, King Kong Company, Confidence Man, Dream Wife, SOAK, Wyvern Lingo, Chymera,  Baikal, Kiddy Smile (Live), Monolink, The Drifter,  Moxie,  Pillow Queens,  Coely, OSHUN. LAOISE, whenyoung, The Murder Capital, ROE, FEET, Meltybrains?, THUMPER, Tulla Céilí band, Tebi Rex, True Tides, Flynn, JyellowL, Rushes, Molly Sterling, Junior Brother, Proper Micro NV, Sing Along Social, PrYmary Colours, Kitt Philippa, Æ Mak, Just Mustard, Happyalone, EMBRZ, TPM, Post-Punk Podge & The Technohippies, Fonda, Extravision, Lowlek, Ghostking is Dead, Eve Clague, Nudy Boy Nature, Myles Manley, Fixity, Fia Moon, The Clockworks, Niamh Regan, Cáit, Mother DJs, Kelly-Anne Byrne, Sevensol, Neil Flynn, Faune, Automatic Tasty, HomeB2beat DJs, Kate Brennan-Harding, Disconauts, Donal Dineen, Cian Finn, Hatchlings, Conor Connolly, JP Trio, Meabh Begley, Marlene Enright, Sive, Anna Mullarkey, Lewis Kenny, Sam Clague, Cat Dowling, Pete Pamf, John Francis, Róisín Seoighe, Helen Diamond, Kev Sheridan and My House.

Weekend Tickets for Body & Soul are on sale via Ticketbooth on www.bodyandsoul.ie

Spring Release tickets now on sale: €199.50 + booking fee