The Ten Can't-Miss Acts at III Points 2021

If Miami festival fiends have missed anything during the pandemic, it's the multifaceted experiences III Points is so well known for.

Festivalgoers miss walking into an art installation from the moment they enter the grounds at Mana Wynwood. They miss idling while watching graffiti artists spend the night creating works of art from scratch. They long to watch the most eclectic group of artists from all genres perform live at one of the several stages set up throughout the compound.

Now, after one major cancellation and two rescheduled dates, III Points will transpire on October 22-23, with a lineup filled with heavy hitters from genres like techno, rock, and hip-hop. Fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in everything the festival has to offer while staying safe from the coronavirus. The festival will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter, and patrons are strongly encouraged to wear facemasks.

The festival's COVID policy notwithstanding, III Points is bound to be a peaceful hub for positive vibes, with various activities to keep guests entertained. In previous years, there have been roller rinks, interactive art exhibits, and plenty of other things to do. The main attraction has always been the array of unique artists who take the stage for unforgettable performances.

This year's lineup consists of a few notable acts, including the Strokes, Thundercat, and Jamie XX. While each artist will have their time to shine, the following ten (listed alphabetically) are guaranteed to provide a memorable experience.

Black Coffee

It has been five years since Black Coffee has pulled up to perform at the festival, but he still understands the assignment. Since he last hit the stage, Black Coffee has collaborated with a handful of iconic artists like Drake ("Get It Together"), Usher ("LaLaLa"), and David Guetta ("Drive"). Earlier this year, the veteran DJ and producer released his sixth studio album, Subconsciously, featuring collaborations with Diplo, Pharrell Williams, Cassie, and Miami native Sabrina Claudio. The revered South African DJ is always inclined to put on a killer show, not only with his music but with every other record he's had a hand in.

Buscabulla

Power couple Buscabulla will make its debut at III Points. Born in Puerto Rico, Luis Alfredo Del Valle and Raquel Berrios met in 2011 and formed the band shortly afterward. With Del Valle on guitar and Berrios' angelic voice on the mic, the dynamic duo came together to create the most experimental blend of electronica, synth-pop, and tropical rhythms. For its self-titled debut EP, Buscabulla connected with Dev Hynes (AKA Blood Orange) to cook up four groundbreaking tracks that helped launch the duo's career. Fast-forward to 2021: Del Valle and Berrios will perform cuts from their latest project, Regreso, as well as from the independently released EP II.

Channel Tres

The West Coast will invade the 305 once again, thanks to Channel Tres. The Compton native performed at the festival back in 2019 when Tyler, The Creator, served as the headliner. Our world may have changed drastically over the past two years, but Tres hasn't. He's still serving up his upbeat, experimental bangers, like his 2018 breakthrough hit, "Controller," off his self-titled EP. Since the last time he performed at the festival, Channel Tres (born Sheldon Young) released his new project, I Can't Go Outside, with features from Tyler, The Creator and Tinashe. Between his latest project and the scattered singles he put out this year, Channel Tres is prepared to keep you up on your feet and dancing for the entire night.

Cristoph

The EDM scene hasn't been the same since Cristoph entered the chat. The Northern England native's uplifting house music has been flowing through the veins of his day-one fans since he dropped his first EP, You Know What You Mean, back in 2013. Over the years, Cristoph's knack for curating bass-filled, high-energy instrumentals inspired by the Chicago house scene became his master talent. The EDM community noticed his dedication to manipulating progressive synths and dictating hard-hitting basslines, especially house legend Eric Prydz. In 2018, Cristoph released his global hit with CamelPhat, "Breathe," featuring Jem Cooke, via Prydz's Pryda Presents imprint, and nothing has been the same since.

Crumb

Consisting of Lila Ramani, Jesse Brotter, Bri Aronow, and Jonathan Gilad, Crumb will flock to III Points with its psychedelic guitar riffs and synth-induced melodies. The Boston-based rock band plans to deliver a live rendition of its sophomore album, Ice Melt, which dropped back in April, along with fan favorites like "Locket" and "Ghostride." Expect Ramani's soothing vocals and the band's soulful yet grungy instrumentals to echo throughout the festival when the band hits the stage.

Eric Prydz

House fans need to experience a live set from Eric Prydz at least once — OK, twice — in their lifetimes. Prydz has been a household name in dance music since 2004 when he dropped his breakthrough hit "Call On Me." The Swedish DJ continued to build on his iconic foundation by dropping other well-known songs like "Pjanoo" in 2008 and "Niton (The Reason)" in 2011. During the pandemic, Prydz finally dropped the long-awaited "NOPUS," his first new single in five years. While fans are eager to hear Prydz's new material in a live setting, watching him spin anything from his deep catalog in person would make any house fan go wild.

Kaytranada

Haitian-Canadian artist Kaytranada has accomplished much since his previous III Points appearance four years ago. He dropped his sophomore album, Bubba, in 2019, which won two Grammy Awards for "Best Dance/Electronic Album" and "Best Dance Recording" for "10%," featuring Kali Uchis. Throughout 2020, Kaytranada also came through with a few collaborations, including "Look Easy" with Lucky Daye, "Dysfunctional" with VanJess, and "The Recipe" with Aluna and Rema. After releasing the single "Caution" earlier this year, it's safe to say that Kaytranada has plenty of hits to entertain his fans during what is expected to be an electrifying set at the festival.

Slowthai

Outspoken British rapper Slowthai returns to Miami after opening for Brockhampton at the Fillmore Miami Beach in 2019. The 26-year-old artist (born Tyron Frampton) has become famous for raucous and politically charged rhymes over beats that deviate from the U.K. grime scene. Slowthai has been rapping since 2016 but first made noise with 2017's I Wish I Knew EP. The release reached the ears of other artists like Rico Nasty, Tyler, The Creator, Disclosure, Gorillaz, and Denzel Curry — all of whom have collaborated with the rapper thus far. His debut album, Nothing Great About Britain, made waves in the U.K. with its references to Brexit and other touchy topics. Earlier this year, Slowthai followed up with his sophomore effort, Tyron, featuring A$AP Rocky, Denzel Curry, Dominic Fike, and Skepta.

Three 6 Mafia

If you've never experienced a Three 6 Mafia set, now's your chance. Juicy J and DJ Paul have churned out hits like "Tear Da Club Up" and "Stay Fly" since the 1990s. Back in 2019, the Memphis-based group reunited for the first time in well over a decade for a string of shows, which would bring back past members of the crew's living members Gangsta Boo and Crunchy Black (R.I.P. Lord Infamous and Koopsta Knicca). Since the pandemic put a brief pause on the group's 2020 tour, Juicy J and DJ Paul are preparing to hit even more cities in the coming months, including Miami for III Points. The OGs of Southern hip-hop are guaranteed to put on a fantastic set. One hopes they'll make it even better by surprising us with guests like Project Pat or some of Juicy J's friends, perhaps Wiz Khalifa and his Taylor Gang.

Wu-Tang Clan

III Points is known to incorporate the spirit of the Wu-Tang Clan in its lineup. Over the years, the festival has welcomed Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, as well as Method Man and his partner-in-rhyme Redman. In 2021, the entire crew is scheduled to hit the stage. Wu fans already know what's in store, but for all those in attendance who've never seen all nine emcees (R.I.P. Ol' Dirty Bastard) together on stage can expect to hear the Shaolin Warriors' greatest hits from "Protect Ya Neck" to "C.R.E.A.M." as well fan favorites from each member's solo career.