The Roots and Live Nation will be throwing the thirteenth annual Roots Picnic music festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday, May 30th. The festival will take place in the Mann at Fairmount Park for the second consecutive year, and will be headlined by The Roots, Thundercat, Meek Mill, DaBaby, as well as others.
Though The Roots made their name in Philadelphia in the 1990’s through Questlove’s masterful production and Black Thought’s superbly crafted lyricism, this year they will place an emphasis on R&B over hip hop. Their set will be titled The Roots Present SOUL, and will feature special guests Brandy, SWV and Musiq Soulchild, who will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his seminal album Aijuswanaseing. In addition, Black Thought and J Period’s annual “Live Mixtape” will showcase breakout Buffalo based rapper Griselda, as well as Wu Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon.
Thundercat will be taking the stage at Roots Picnic just after the release of his new album It Is What It Is in April. The bassist’s most recent album, Drunk, was released in 2017, and received huge acclaim from critics for its ability to push musical boundaries and blend genres, as well as from fans for Thundercat’s ability to infuse playful and funky styles throughout his music. Thundercat will also be playing at the Green Man Festival in Brecon Beacons, Wales.
Fellow Philadelphia based rapper Meek Mill will also be headlining the festival; though the rapper has struggled with the law throughout his career and has previously served jail time, the rapper has remained vigilant and focused, as he has continued to release new music and perform on tour. Mill recently performed as part of a tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
Perhaps on the biggest rise in the rap game since last year, DaBaby will be another name headlining the festival. The Charlotte based rapper emerged on the scene last year with his hit “Suge,” and his two 2019 albums, Baby On Baby and KIRK, both further elevated his status among today’s biggest rappers. DaBaby will also be performing at Rolling Loud Portugal and Rolling Loud Miami later in 2020.
Tickets to the festival can be purchased here. Check out the official tour flyer below:
Photo Credit: Owen Ela
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