The last iteration of the Rock The Bells Festival happened roughly a decade ago, then essentially disappeared. There was a reason for that.
Hip Hop legend and Hall Of Famer LL Cool J would file a lawsuit against its original organizers, Guerilla Union, for their use of his 1985 Radio single for the name. He would win the suit in 2019, and would be given the name for him to use. His SiriusXM radio station would be launched shortly after.
Now, LL is bringing back the Rock The Bells Festival as a day-long celebration of hip hop culture. Taking place on August 6 at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, the festival will include live performances, interactive experiences, art exhibits, food, fashion and much more.
On his SXM show this morning (April 4), LL announced the initial lineup of performances: DJ Z-Trip, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Lil Kim, The Diplomats, Fat Joe and Remy Ma, Jadakiss, Scarface, Trina, N.O.R.E, and Digable Planets, with more to be announced. The festival will be hosted by Roxanne Shanté, DJ Mister Cee, and DJ Scratch.
“This festival is my way of showing love to the community of Hip-Hop and celebrating the incredible journey this culture has taken, going from DJ Kool Herc’s Sedgwick Avenue rec room, to the global phenomenon we all cherish today,” LL said in a statement. “Getting to bring some of the most iconic and influential Hip-Hop artists to the same stage, in my hometown and the city that started it all, is an honor and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for them.”
“The Rock The Bells festival is going to be different from any other festival you’ve attended, bringing great people, great vibes, and great music together to represent and celebrate the originality and greatness of Hip-Hop,” added Roxanne. “With me as your host, you are guaranteed to have a nice day making Hip-Hop memories from dusk till dawn.”
Tickets will go on sale April 8.
