This summer, Dino D'Santiago will be bringing Cape Verde vibes to Rotterdam for the festival. Operating behind this stage name is Claudino Jesus Borges Pereira: a 42-year-old Portuguese rapper, activist and composer with Cape Verdean roots. His first album Dino SoulMotion from 2008 instantly got him noticed, and things have been pretty hectic for D'Santiago ever since. He is passionate about conveying the sound of Quarteira, the multi-cultural neighborhood where he grew up, through his catchy mix of rap, R&B and soul. His fiery performances as a representative of African migrants in Portugal mean he is known to the general public not only as an artist, but also as an activist. World-famous entertainers such as Madonna looked to him for inspiration, and the Portuguese version of the leading men’s magazine GQ labelled him Man of the Year in 2020. He has already picked up MTV Video Music Awards and Golden Globes, and was nominated for a Latin Grammy last year.
