Gangster rapper The Game will headline Auckland's Raggamuffin music festival in February.
Gangster rapper The Game will headline Auckland's Raggamuffin music festival in February.
The sun is shining on Raggamuffin with the summer music festival bolstering its line-up with nine new additions, including popular reggae act UB40.
But it's not all golden weather, with the February festival confirming they've lost one of their headliners.
The West Auckland festival today adds UB40, soul singer Macy Gray and gangster rapper The Game to its February line-up, which already includes Eddy Grant, Inner Circle, Maxi Priest, Junior Marvin's Wailers, Spawnbreezie and Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
Macy Gray is on the line-up for Raggamuffin 2016.
Other acts added today include Xzibit, House of Pain (feat. Everlast), Beenie Man with Sly & Robbie, Bitty McLean, Savage, the Aotearoa Reggae Collective and LAB. They'll perform at the family-friendly one-day festival on February 20 at Auckland's Trust Arena.
The refreshed line-up comes at a cost, with soul singer Cee-Lo Green pulling out because "he is no longer available to perform," a press release said.
Green's omission comes after trouble over a scheduled Chris Brown concert in December, with Immigration NZ saying the R&B wouldn't be allowed in the country over issues stemming from his violent past with ex-girlfriend Rihanna.
In 2014, Green, also a member of the duo Gnarls Barkley, pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a 2012 incident in which he was accused of giving ectasy unknowingly to a woman. He was sentenced to three years of formal probation, 360 hours of community service and 52 Alcohol Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings, Rolling Stone reported.
Controversy also surrounds the performance of Jamaican artist Beenie Man, who was axed from the 2010 Big Day Out after an outcry over homophobic lyrics. Beenie Man has since promised to promote "peaceful and humanistic values" in his music.
UB40 fans should note that this version of the group is completely different to that which appeared at last year's Raggamuffin festival. Because of an acrimonious split, there are two versions touring - the one appearing at Raffamuffin in 2016 is fronted by Duncan Campbell with his brother Robin Campbell, and also features original members Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer, Norman Hassan and Brian Travers.
The version fronted by Ali Campbell that appeared at Raggamuffin last year will play here next year, at Havelock North's Black Barn Vineyards on January 8 as part of their Red Red Wine tour.
But Raggamuffin's line-up is likely to be popular with hip-hop fans: The Game has just released his seventh record The Documentary 2 to critical acclaim, Xzibit is known as the host of long-running car show Pimp My Ride but has seven albums to his name, and House of Pain are known for their huge 1992 single Jump Around.
Two acts are yet to be announced for the bill, with a competition being held to find two local acts - one reggae and one urban - being held in November in Auckland, Palmerston North, Hastings, Masterton and Wellington. The final will take place on December 12 in Wellington.
The festival is expanding to host two stages, with free entry for children under 14 with an adult ticketholder. Cheaper 'youth' tickets are also available for those aged 14-17. The Trusts Arena layout is also being changed to move food, amusement rides and merchandise facilities down to the same level as the main stage.
