John Legend & Kanye West in-store at Deal Real, Carnaby
Legendary Hip Hop record store Deal Real returns to its iconic home in Carnaby to celebrate the place where many of the new generation of hip hop stars, burst onto the scene. Deal Real was originally situated at 3 Marlborough Court, just off Carnaby Street between 2002-2007 and was the venue where the likes of Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, John Legend, Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco performed to fervent crowds of fans, tastemakers and inquisitive passers-by. By its closure, it had become London’s epicentre for hip-hop and urban youth-culture, responsible for showcasing, supporting and nurturing a wealth of burgeoning talent, many of whom went on to attain mainstream success. The roll-call also included Oritse Williams, Estelle, Tinchy Stryder, Doc Brown and Mr Hudson to name a few.
The 2015 pop-up launches on Record Store Day Saturday 18th April 2015 at 14 Newburgh Street, Carnaby. It will showcase the cream of London’s undiscovered and unrepresented talent, including emerging visual artists, musicians and fashion designers. A photo-gallery will depict some of the memorable moments and in store performances, along with archive footage from a range of British artists including Example, Professor Green and Mr Hudson, as well as internationally renowned artists Kanye West, Will I Am, Akon, Mos Def and John Legend.
Reconnecting with notable alumni, Deal Real Legacy will curate a host of free one-off in store signings, performances and workshops. Visitors can expect definitive line-ups of some of the most established UK and international artists, alongside the freshest up and coming talent.
More details will follow on Dealreal.co.uk and Carnaby.co.uk
Founder of Deal Real, Vincent Olutayo says
“It’s fantastic being able to celebrate the legacy of Deal Real with Carnaby and to use the opportunity to re-establish our ethos of supporting up and coming talent from music, fashion or art, as well as young people aspiring to establish creative careers”
Doc Brown, former rapper and MC says,
‘I remember Mos Def was over here and he came through and he became addicted, he brought Pharoahe Monch, and Kanye West, and then it just spread from there, the Black Eyed Peas, the Wu Tang Clan, Red Man, Slick Rick, it was unreal. I met all my heroes right here.’
Deal Real
Deal Real was a hip hop specialist record shop, located at 3 Marlborough Court. Founded in 2002 by Vincent Olutayo, Olu Olutayo, Sef Khama and Tony Tagoe, University friends, who came together through a mutual love of hip hop culture. The shop ethos centred on promoting the diverse range of UK and US hip hop culture, with a particular focus on emerging UK artists and genres that had very few other outlets. They even embraced early emerging genres like electronica, dubstep and grime.
Deal Real soon became renowned youth culture consultants, working with brands including Puma and Adidas, using these opportunities to provide sponsorship and showcase opportunities, as well as work experience to aspiring creatives. Deal Real’s artist management division worked with various emerging artists, most notably Mr Hudson who signed a major recording deal with Universal records in 2007.
Deal Real pop up: 18 April – 8th June
Free in store events – keep up to date with news and events at @DealRealLegacy
