futuretense: Ben DSP + Nat Oaks
Meet two musicians whose magnetic hip-hop, jazz and soul speak volumes, in our free music series platforming up-and-coming artists.
Ben DSP is a rising bilingual rapper whose honest, uplifting sound draws on jazz and soul music to share musings on mental health. He and his producers Blueboy and Dash blend UK rap and dance sounds with poignant, relatable lyrics and skippy flows.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2022 with his UK Garage hit ‘Realness’, he has received critical acclaim from BBC Introducing, 1XTRA, Kiss FM and Spotify editors. He has attracted attention from some of the UK’s most respected underground talent and continues to turn heads with every release.
At just 23, Nat Oaks is quickly establishing herself as a standout voice in the alternative hip-hop scene. She delivers a magnetic blend of re-imagined hip-hop, fusing sharp lyricism with smooth grooves. Now based in North London, her sound is inspired by trailblazers like Little Simz, Loyle Carner and Ms. Lauryn Hill, resulting in a genre-fluid signature style that feels both fresh and timeless.
Her high-energy performances have lit up audiences on stages including Boomtown, Reading and Love Saves The Day, and she is a finalist in this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition and a 2024 Youth Music Rising Star Award nominee.
Need to know
For your visit
This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.