Nemzzz – is bringing the ‘Locked In Tour’ to The Academy, Dublin

Manchester rapper and songwriter Nemzzz is bringing the ‘Locked In Tour’ to The Academy, Dublin on Tuesday, 1st December 2026.

You could call it destiny that Nemiah Emmanuel Simms, the son of a reggae and bashment vocalist father and a producer mother, has become one of the most influential British rappers of his generation. Today, Nemzzz is one of the UK’s most-streamed rappers, building a global audience while remaining rooted in Gorton, South Manchester. 

While Nemiah would sing along to the greats, Nemzzz was born in the playgrounds of South Manchester. Now aged 22, he was at school during the height of UK Rap’s resurgence. He began rapping over instrumentals he found on YouTube, before learning to make his own beats. In his parents’ studio, Nemzzz began to fuse his myriad of disparate but equally formative influences to create a sound that is entirely unique.

Cue his 2021 breakout track, Elevate – the title speaking to his years of levelling up. Elevate quickly went viral and now sits on over 100 million streams on Spotify. Co-signs rolled in from Drake, Central Cee and Lil Yachty. He followed up with 2Ms, a celebration of his success, cementing him as a slick rapper with a deft flow and a meticulous approach to production. Critics were eager to find a label for the burgeoning star, dubbing his sound ‘chill’, but Nemzzz has continued to defy expectation.

In his ascent, Nemzzz has managed to garner global success while also retaining his outlier status, which is somewhat cemented by his Manchester postcode. Like Aitch before him, in a London-centric space, Nemzzz has brought regional rap scenes to the foreground. And while he feels the pull of the capital, he has no intention of leaving the city he calls home and the people who make him feel safe. 

Nemzzz is only the second British rap star that Central Cee has collaborated with, nodding to their “shared outlook on the game.” Dilemma is a standout feature on his second mixtape Rent’s Due. Together they foster a gritty sense of paranoia, Nemzzz’s verses languid and hypnotic against Central Cee’s accelerated flow.

Following Rent’s Due and his signing to Atlantic Records, Nemzzz entered a new phase of his career, expanding his creative ambitions while remaining true to the understated approach that first set him apart.

His growing international audience has seen him take his music across the UK, Europe and Australia, confirming his status as one of British rap’s most exciting global exports – with sold-out shows further cementing a fanbase that now stretches across the globe.

Following the release of From Me 2 You, Nemzzz entered the Locked In era with a run of singles including “GEEKIN” featuring Lil Yachty, “Locked In Freestyle” and “KILLIN EM.” Each release has reflected a sharper focus, both sonically and personally, building towards Locked In, his most cohesive body of work to date, landing in Autumn 2026.

More than simply a mixtape, Locked In, set to release in September 2026, captures Nemzzz’s mindset at this stage of his career. Focused, disciplined and constantly evolving, it reflects an artist becoming increasingly confident in his own identity while continuing to push his sound forward – built on the back of billions of streams, collaborations with the likes of Lil Yachty and Latto, continued support from Drake (Nemzzz recently attended Nocta Manor), and a global touring schedule that shows no sign of slowing.

Few artists have navigated success with the composure of Nemzzz. While his audience continues to grow around the world, his approach remains remarkably unchanged: quiet confidence, relentless consistency and an unwavering commitment to the music. Locked In doesn’t mark the arrival of a new artist. It marks the moment one of British rap’s defining voices fully comes into his own.

NEMZZZ

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS 

Tuesday, 1st December 2026

The Academy, Dublin

Doors 7pm | Standing 14’s+

Tickets from €26.90 (inc booking fee & venue facility fee) from Ticketmaster.ie on sale Friday 7^th August @ 10am.

Bookings subject to 12.5% service charge per ticket (max €10.50)