Akon and Example new headliners for Dubai's My Music X Festival

Akon and Example are the new headliners for the My Music X Festival. The Senegalese rapper and London singer have been tapped to rescue the festival after it turned out South Korean rapper Psy would not be attending.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Ð May 21: Akon performing at Palladium in Dubai Media City in Dubai.  (Pawan Singh / The National)
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Akon and Example are the new headliners for the My Music X Festival.The Senegalese rapper and London singer have been tapped to rescue the festival - held from March 27-30 at Dubai's Atlantis The Palm - after it turned out South Korean rapper Psy would not be attending.

In a way, the inclusion of the duo, who spawned over a dozen hits between them, strengthens My Music X's pedigree. Akon thrilled UAE crowds last October in his Beats on the Beach performance, which saw him performing inside a Zorb ball. Example has his own UAE following after a strong set in Creamfields last December.

Where Psy seemed like a marketable yet odd choice, Akon and Example are a better fit among the hip-hop and dance heavy headliners including dancehall rapper Sean Paul, legendary hip-hop DJ Premier, 1990s Rnb stars Teddy Riley and Keith Sweat as well as leading DJ acts ATB and Sander Kleinberg.

Gangnam Style fans should not be too disappointed, however. When tweeting on February 28 about his non-appearance in the festival, Psy did hint at a future Dubai visit.“I will NOT be in Dubai March 28 but look forward to coming soon,” he said on Twitter.


* Tickets for the festival start at Dh150 per day for general admission. For more details as well as the festival's full line up go to www.facebook.com/mymusicx or call 044 345 457