Summer is here, which means sunshine, comfortable clothes, and big smiles will be plentiful for the foreseeable future. It also means festival season is about to kick into full gear-- and quick.
Hip-hop and festivals don't exactly go together like peanut butter and jelly; the two have had somewhat of a riddled past. Rock The Bells went for eight years strong only to seize come 2014. Paid Dues had to be cancelled last year and we haven't heard anything about the 2015 rendition of the festival just yet. Kanye West famously upset Bonnaroo patrons in 2008 by showing up for his headlining set 8 hours late. (Although it does sound pretty cool to see a Kanye show that starts around 5am.)
While strictly hip-hop festivals are few and far between, many festivals pepper their lineups with the cream of the crop. Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Atmosphere, Kendrick Lamar, and more are amongst those playing in front of massive audiences this summer. We don't want you to miss out on the fun, so here are 11 festivals you should consider attending this summer!
JAM'N 94.5's Summer Jam
When: Saturday June 6
Where: Mansfield, MA
Who: Snoop Dogg, Trey Songz, Childish Gambino, ILoveMakonnen, Shaggy, Action Bronson, and more.
A big-time radio festival hits the Xfinity Center in Massachusetts this Saturday, headlined by Snoop Dogg who will be preceded by Trey Songz, Childish Gambino, ILoveMakonnen, Action Bronson, and more.
Governors Ball
When: June 5-7
Where: New York, NY
Who: Drake, Future, Rae Sremmurd, People Under The Stairs, SBTRKT, Rustie, Atmosphere, Flying Lotus, A-Trak, Logic, Bishop Nehru, Chronixx, and more.
New York City's premier music festival takes place this coming weekend with a well-varied lineup. Hip-hoppers like Drake, People Under The Stairs, Atmosphere, and Bishop Nehru will be joined by electronica acts Hot Chip, Flying Lotus, Kaytranada, and SBTRKT along with premier rock acts like The Decemberists, Ryan Adams, Black Keys, etc.
Hot 97 Summer Jam
When: June 7
Where: East Rutherford, NJ
Who: Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown & Trey Songz, Big Sean, Meek Mill, Fabolous, Travi$ Scott, Joey Bada$$, B.o.B, and more.
New York's premier hip hop station is throwing a festival of their own. They've invited Kendrick, Big Sean, Meek Mill, Fabolous, Joey Bada$$ and more to perform.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
When: June 11-14
Where: Manchester, TN
Who: Kendrick Lamar, Deadmau5, Childish Gambino, D'Angelo, Atmosphere, Reggie Watts, Flying Lotus, SBTRKT, Run The Jewels, G-Eazy, Jamie XX, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Rustie, and more.
Bonnaroo could be considered the whole country's premier festival. Since it's inception in 2002, the festival has moved from a jammin' rock 'n' roll lineup to a really diverse gathering of the country's best musicians. This year is no different, and has countless great acts bringing their skills to the Farm.
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
When: July 8-11
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Who: Common, Mobb Deep, Freeway, Charles Hamilton, Skyzoo, and more.
Since 2005, The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival has displayed the positive aspects of hip-hop through artistic progression, community building and social change.
In addition to concerts, the Festival boasts panel discussions, exhibitions, parties, an award show and a family-friendly block party. It's more than a concert or outdoor fair, it is a family reunion for lovers of this great culture.
Pitchfork Music Festival
When: July 17-19
Where: Chicago, IL
Who: Chance The Rapper, Run The Jewels, Caribou, Jamie XX, ILoveMakonnen, A$AP Ferg, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Vic Mensa, Vince Staples, How To Dress Well, and more.
Pitchfork puts on a festival ever year in Chicago and Paris. Their lineup this year is the creme de la creme of critically acclaimed hip-hop, electronica, and indie rock.
The Art of Rap Festival
When: July 18
Where: Irvine, CA
Who: The Game, Ice-T, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Too Short, Warren G, Afrika Bambaataa, Biz Markie, and more.
Located at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (formerly the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre), in Irvine, California, the Art of Rap Festival has an impressive lineup that should leave any west coaster considering a road trip. Bone Thugs, Warren G, Rakim and Afrika Bambaataa is well worth the price of admission for the history lesson alone.
Osheaga Festival Musique Et Arts
When: July 31 - August 2
Where: Montreal, QC
Who: Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Schoolboy Q, Tyler, the Creator, FKA Twigs, RL Grime, Hudson Mohawke, Action Bronson, Run The Jewels, Charli XCX, Brodinski, G-Eazy, Cashmere Cat, SZA, Raury, Sango, Bishop Nehru, and more.
Montreal's Osheaga Festival is absolutely STACKED. Not only do you have producers like RL Grime, Hudson Mohawke, Cashmere Cat, and Brodinski, but everyone from old school Nas to new school Bishop Nehru will grace the stage at the event.
Low End Theory Festival
When: August 8
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Who: Flying Lotus, Earl Sweatshirt, Thundercat, Teebs, Ras G, Samiyam, MNDSGN, Gaslamp Killer, and more.
California's beat party, Low End Theory, is taking a big step this year by putting on their own music festival. The one-day event features the avant-garde side of producers along with Odd Future's Earl Sweatshirt to satisfy the masses.
Riot Fest Denver
When: August 28-30
Where: Denver, CO
Who: Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube & Special Guests, Run DMC, Cypress Hill, Yelawolf, GZA, and more.
Riot Fest is primarily a punk rock festival, and takes place in Denver, Chicago, and Toronto. While each festival has its own lineup, there's a lot of overlap as well. In Denver, where the trees blow free, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Run DMC, Cypress Hill, Yelawolf, and GZA will bring their skills to the Rocky Mountains.
Fun Fun Fun Fest
When: November 6-8
Where: Austin, TX
Who: D'Angelo, Wu-Tang Clan, Schoolboy Q, Grimes, Rae Sremmurd, Joey Bada$$, Afrika Bambaataa, Big Freedia, BADBADNOTGOOD, Two-9, and more.
Austin, TX is a place that is prideful of its weirdness, and Fun Fun Fun Fest can be seen as a testament to that. Where else can you see Rae Sremmurd play the same festival as black metal band Venom? It'll probably never happen again.