My first and only Wireless Festival was back in 2013, a glorious peak for my evolving rap fandom. Not only did I see a then-ascending A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz perform, I was also treated to a headline slot from Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake (with a cheeky Rihanna cameo), my GOAT, Nas, and my favourite musical group of all time, A Tribe Called Quest. All in one day. It remains one of my cherished musical memories, so shout-out Wireless for making that happen and creating memories I’ll tell my grandkids.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to London for a festival that is now part of the British fabric, showcasing the biggest artists in the UK and beyond. Many formative music experiences are built at Wireless, given its increasingly younger clientele, and the annual commentary leading up to the event about anything from ticket prices to surprise headliners is part and parcel of the excitement.

Celebrating its 20th year in 2025, the festival—once a stomping ground for rock and pop artists to shine before pivoting to rap and other modern Black music genres in the early 2010s—pulled out all the stops, with Drake headlining all three days with an assortment of support acts. There was PartyNextDoor and Summer Walker for the R&B souls, Vybz Kartel and Burna Boy for dancehall and Afrobeats boffins and, of course, ‘The Mandem’, consisting of Boy Better Know, Dave, Central Cee, J Hus, K-Trap, fakemink and more.

The weekend’s festivities however were dominated by online debate about whether the festival was serving the land on which it’s hosted. Seemingly now turning its back on UK music media, journalists, commentators and content creators weren’t offered press passes or accreditation, as the likes of Mimi The Music Blogger have rightfully called out. In a since-deleted Tweet, TRENCH founder and UK music tastemaker Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson let the cat out the bag a month prior to Wireless with a warning that, this year, UK music media—which, year on year, consists of mostly Black-run platforms and Black creators—had to pay if they wanted to cover their event, with a dedicated “Industry Ticket Buy” team to handle it all. Meanwhile, priority was placed towards USA-based streamers like Adin Ross who attended Wireless in droves. This might sound unimportant, but let’s break it down.

Journalists and editorial platforms serve to cover events like Wireless, giving their audiences detailed, rich, on-the-ground accounts of the festivities. We’re part of the fabric of the scene in that we report on it, dissect it and transmit our observations to the masses. This isn’t about Wireless ‘breading’ us or giving us freebie tickets to bop to Drizzy. We want the opportunity to do our jobs and be one of the many conduits of the scene. It gives creatives at the start of their journeys invaluable experience to build themselves as valuable cogs in the industry, strengthening the scene in the process. Or for more established documentarians to take a step in a new direction creatively.

When Wireless outright denies us this opportunity, they shut off its doors to an important part of music culture. It shows a deep lack of respect for the space they occupy which, after 20 years, should not be happening. A festival that takes place in the UK that minimises access for local writers, content creators and platforms should be seen as a problem, whichever side of the argument you’re on. Showing a clear favouritism to people not from the UK is not only alienating to us but wildly tone deaf—regardless if they were on Drake’s guestlist or not; in fact, that makes it even worse. But hey, numbers matter most in this game, right? Wireless must have something to hide if journalists are seemingly being shunned, or at least that’s what it feels like. Figures such as Mimi have received criticism for simply bringing the hypocrisies of the situation to light, and the opportunities it takes away from us. As far as this writer is concerned, they should say it louder for everyone in the back.

Elsewhere, while platforming British artists to a certain degree, Wireless has always prioritised our American cousins over homegrown talent. Line-ups are regularly lopsided, which closes off opportunities for our scenes to grow and for more of our stars to reap the benefits of such vast exposure. Take 2025; the line-up was announced just a few days before the festival took place, with the implication that Drake’s set with ‘The Mandem’ would feature a slew of UK talent. The debate dominated social media, but Wireless might’ve benefitted from putting these artists front and centre, rather than relegating them to a nomenclature that could be seen as dismissive. Even if it’s just a title, there’s an element of reading the room that should be involved here, given it could offend those who think the UK rap scene has come too far and achieved so much to just be handed such a sobriquet.

Wireless is owned by Live Nation, an entertainment conglomerate based in the States, with heavy backing from Rockstar Energy Drink for the 2025 edition. While such an entity in its totality shouldn’t be expected to understand the nooks and crannies of the culture, it’s on the bookers and staff on the ground to get a grasp of the climate, what makes us tick and what being ‘of the culture’ really means. For one, that is respecting it and welcoming it into these spaces wholeheartedly, not profiting off it while closing us off to it. Just ask the BRIT Awards about what happens when we feel underserved. It’s opening dialogue with us and being open to critique, to understand our concerns and how to move with intention. Inviting streamers, arguably some of the most influential people on the planet in big 2025, may seem a sound business decision, especially with regards to building Wireless’ international profile. But that shouldn’t come at our expense.

Whether it’s booking more UK talent to close out the festivals, breaking bread with tastemakers and key figures in the culture or having writers review without fear of reprisals, Wireless could stand to mend some bridges. It won’t be long before the ‘culture vulture’ label rears its head. So, Wireless, don’t bury your heads in the sand hoping this all blows over because every year the festival returns, we’ll be reminded of the times you didn’t represent for us. This might be one writer shouting into the ether at a commercial juggernaut that doesn’t care to get it, but it’s worth saying. In case someone listens.

Wireless, it’s your move.