The guest appearance at Wireless festival
The boy is better to know how the guest under the pseudonym “Mandema” as part of the 2025 Wireless festival.
Details of the event lineup
Last weekend, the lineup for the annual Rap and Hip-Hop Music Bash was announced, featuring Drake as the sole headliner for all three nights. This summer, Wireless will be held at Finsbury London Park from July 11 to 13, where the rapper known for “Hotline Bling” will perform three distinct sets—each featuring a unique curated group of guests—to celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary. The festival is completely sold out.
The schedule for Saturday, July 12, playfully hints at the title “Drake and Mandem,” leaving fans wondering who the “Mandem” could be.
It has now been revealed that “Mandem” refers to a boy, who is set to take the stage for his first live performance in eight years.
The lineup includes Skepta, JME, Frisco, Jammer, DJ Maximum, Preditah, and Shorty—this crew will serve as the opening act, marking a significant return for both the Wireless festival and Boy Better Know’s innovative 20-year career.
Festival expectations and controversy
Other acts slated to perform at the music festival include Burna Boy, Partynextdoor, Summer Walker, and Vybz Kartel, with many more artists to be announced later.
Meanwhile, the use of the popular British slang term “Mandem” at the Wireless festival has left many fans and figures in the music industry frustrated, feeling that British artists are being simplified to “Mandem” in their own country.
Some time has passed, but the boy is at home 🇬🇧
For our 20th anniversary … @Drake will take the stage all three nights with three different lineups. https://t.co/tye06jnra For preliminary information.
General sales start on Wednesday, February 19 at 12:00 in Greenwich. @burnaboy @PartynextDoor @Iamsummerwalker… pic.twitter.com/cfmmgq0dnc– wireless festival (@Wirelessfest) February 16, 2025
“Acts in the UK are reduced to ‘Mandem’ in their own country (emoji skull) – I wonder why the Americans make fun of us,” one X/Twitter user wrote.
Another user echoed these sentiments in a statement: “Every day” it gets deeper. “Now they won’t even call you by your name in your own city (Emoji with a sad face). The 20th anniversary of our hometown festival… And they reduce you to ‘Mandem’ as a rotating team… crazy. I’m really sorry. They shouldn’t have treated us this way!!!”
In other news, Skepta recently paid tribute to Boy Better Know by getting a tattoo of their logo during a live stream.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/boy-better-know-confirmed-as-the-mandem-playing-first-show-in-eight-years-at-drakes-wireless-2025-3839501?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boy-better-know-confirmed-as-the-mandem-playing-first-show-in-eight-years-at-drakes-wireless-2025
