L.A. Salami

On April 29, 2026, L.A. Salami will perform at the Badehaus Berlin. Behind the name is Lookman Adekunle Salami, raised in Peckham, of Nigerian heritage, with a drive to tell stories without detours. He moved early between different art forms until music and words found each other: folk as a foundation, indie edges and passages that are more spoken than sung. From Bob Dylan comes the appetite for storytelling; from the experimental energy of contemporary rap comes the openness to mix formats — always with a focus on honesty rather than vocal acrobatics.

Live, this means voice and guitar up front, the songs unfolding like short stories, shifting between melody and spoken word, between introspection and urban observation. Sometimes pared-back and intimate, sometimes more propulsive, but always centered on the lyrics. Salami uses the rhythm of language to build tension, lets verses tip over, and breaks the singing into spoken imagery at precisely the right moments. His most recent work sharpens this approach further and shows how folk, blues reminiscences, and narrative rap can touch — a set that relies less on effects than on presence and a clear voice that places its truth directly into the melody.