After supporting YG in The Olympia this week, Nealo now has even more big news.

“Friendship, tragedy, emigration, drug use. Not just lyrical themes but all also catalysts on the path to Nealo becoming a hip hop artist,” says the bio under his latest project ‘October Year’ which he released a couple of months ago.

Originally a key part of Dublin’s hardcore punk scene, when he split up with his band in 2015 he had a artistic void he was looking to fill. His migration to hip hop was one that a lot of contemporary artists have done, think Cities Aviv, Ho99o9, but for Ireland, it’s a relatively new move.

“As Dublin changed and bandmates emigrated I found myself creatively stifled, I knew the words were always swirling around in there, I just needed a medium to get them out and hip hop has given me that.”

After selling out a show in The Underground, he’s now announced another headliner. On Saturday March 30, Nealo will take over Upstairs at Whelan’s.

His band includes DJ and producer Arbu, Irish artist Molly Sterling, instrumentalist and producer Rafino Murphy (Uly), keyboard maestro Adam Byrne (Native Ensemble) and drummer Fiachra Kinder.

Tickets from €15.00 incl booking fee on sale now.