MORE LIFE - PASS THE MIC | Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation announce once-in-a-generation musical event

Today, the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation (SLDF) has announced MORE LIFE – PASS THE MIC, a once-in-a-generation musical event that will take place on Friday, 13th September, marking what would have been Stephen Lawrence’s 50th birthday. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, 12th July at 10:00 am – details to follow.

Featuring internationally acclaimed live performers, special guests, and hosts, the event will bring together a curated line-up of generation-defining artists representing the future of Stephen’s legacy.

Some of the UK’s most influential artists have been confirmed to take part, with many more notable names to be announced in the coming weeks. The artists and industry leaders behind this project are coming together to celebrate the power of Black culture, community, and allyship, and to honour Stephen’s remarkable legacy.

The event will take place at The O2 in Greenwich, South-East London, which was Stephen’s home.

Through the medium of music MORE LIFE – PASS THE MIC converges art, history, culture, and community to celebrate and provide a platform for hopeful conversations about the future of Stephen’s legacy and the Black experience in the UK. The event promises to be unlike anything audiences have seen – and artists have participated in – before.

Baroness Lawrence, Stephen Lawrence’s mother and Founder of SLDF, commented: “Music has the power to touch people’s hearts and inspire shifts in how they view themselves and the world around them, much like Stephen did for those who knew and loved him, and the many who only know his story. The 13th September will be a time for reflection and celebration and a moment to uplift the beauty and brilliance of our community. Together, we can make a collective commitment to building a kinder, more equitable society in Stephen’s name.”

Leading a coalition of Black leaders and allies from across the music industry and beyond, SLDF is supported by Live Nation, Metropolis, AEG Presents and The O2 in staging and promoting this generation-defining event, as well as a collective of major record labels, including Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, 0207 Def Jam and media partners, BBC 1Xtra, Spotify and YouTube. Together, all partners have committed to delivering a line-up that will connect Stephen’s story to the next generation, elevating his legacy to its rightful place in history.

Jessica Neil, CEO of SLDF, commented: “Harnessing the transformative power of music, we are inviting the next generation to reclaim Stephen’s legacy as their own. Stephen was an ordinary young man whose life and death have created extraordinary impact. This event is about demonstrating the power of ordinary people to drive extraordinary change when their talents and aspirations are nurtured. MORE LIFE – PASS THE MIC is a celebration of culture and community and a once-in-a-lifetime musical moment that we hope will spark a generation-defining movement for change.”

Trevor Williams of TML Worldwide serves as Production Director; Kojo Samuel of Kojo Music is Musical Director; Amber and Bronski of TAWBOX are Creative Directors; Ticketing and Promotion Directors are Raye Cosbert of Metropolis Music and Lucy Noble of AEG and Impact and Experience Director is Kobi Prempeh of Flynn Studio.