Day N Vegas Festival 2022, With J. Cole, SZA, And Travis Scott, Has Been Cancelled

Since it first began in 2019, Day N Vegas had been establishing itself as one of the marquee hip-hop and R&B music festivals in the country — one that can stand up to the growing influence of the many Rolling Loud properties around the world. The 2022 edition of Day N Vegas was slated to be the first major US festival performance for Travis Scott following last year’s Astroworld tragedy. But now, it’ll all have to wait, as Day N Vegas 2022 has been cancelled.

Previously scheduled to go down from September 2nd – 4th at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds with headliners J. Cole, SZA and Scott, festival organizers announced today that due to, “A combination of logistics, timing and production issues,” they are forced to cancel the festival. The full statement from Day N Vegas reads as follows:

We’re sorry to announce that a combination of logistics, timing and production issues have forced us to cancel Day N Vegas for 2022. The refund process will begin immediately, and funds will appear back to your account within the next 2-4 weeks. All orders will be refunded to the credit card used to complete purchase. If you purchased a festival pass(es) via AXS and have questions about the refund process, please contact AXS via support.axs.com. For Fuse Hotel Package support, please visit daynvegas2022.com for more info.

Also scheduled to perform, were acts like 21 Savage, Baby Keem, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko, Jorja Smith, Joji, Playboi Carti, Summer Walker, Pusha T, and more.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

J. Cole, SZA, And Travis Scott Will Headline Day N Vegas 2022

Day N Vegas is returning in 2022 with J. Cole, SZA, and Travis Scott as headliners. Scheduled for September 2-4 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, this will be the third iteration of the festival since 2019, as well as Travis Scott’s return since being removed as a headliner of the 2021 edition. Intriguingly enough, Travis also canceled his 2019 performance and was replaced at the last minute by Young Thug, so if he does perform this year, it’ll be the first time since the festival was started, even though he’s been on the lineup all three years. Weird, right?

In addition to the above-mentioned performers, Day N Vegas 2022 will include a who’s-who of hip-hop and R&B stars. 21 Savage, Baby Keem, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko, Playboi Carti, and Summer Walker fill out the top line of performers alongside Blxst, Don Toliver, Joji, Jorja Smith, Pusha T, and Trippie Redd, while the rest of the roster has rising stars and longtime genre mainstays like Amine, Babyface Ray, Chloe, City Girls, Doechii, Earthgang, JID, Jay Rock, Smino, Tobe Nwigwe, T-Pain, Vince Staples, and more.

Registration for presale passes is now open and passes will be available starting Friday, June 10 at 10 AM PT. You can find more information at Daynvegas2022.com.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kendrick Lamar Hints At A Return ‘Very Soon’ During Day N Vegas Performance

For the first time in two years, Kendrick Lamar returned to the stage. On Friday, the rapper delivered a performance at the Day N Vegas festival, which was also the last venue he performed at, back in 2019. His set was a special one, as it found him performing a number of songs from his debut album Section.80 for the first time in nearly a decade. These include “F*ck Your Ethnicity,” “HiiiPoWeR,” “Chapter Ten.” and “Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils).” He also performed songs from Good Kid, M.a.a.d City, To Pimp A Butterfly, and DAMN. He then hinted at a proper, full return “very soon.”

After performing “Family Ties” and “Range Brothers” with Baby Keem, Kendrick shared a promising message with the crowd. “Vegas till next time,” he said. “And when I say next time I mean very soon.” This could mean that the rapper’s highly-anticipated fifth album is on the way, which will most likely be paired with an exciting tour.

Kendrick’s comments come after he gave an update on his upcoming fifth album, revealing it would be his last with Top Dawg Entertainment, a label he’d been signed to since 2005. “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years,” he wrote in a statement. “The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling.”

You can view clips from Kendrick’s Day N Vegas performance below.

Post Malone Will Replace Travis Scott As A Day N Vegas Headliner

With Travis Scott dropping out of Day N Vegas in the wake of the deaths at his own Astroworld Festival, the Houston rapper has been replaced as a headliner by another Texan, Post Malone. He’ll close out the Saturday date this weekend, which Day N Vegas announced along with the rest of the set times on Monday evening.

Variety reported Travis’ withdrawal from the upcoming festival, citing a source that said the “Franchise” rapper was “too distraught to play” another show in the aftermath of the Astroworld incident, in which eight people died due to injuries sustained when the crowd pressed forward to get close to the stage. Another 300 people were reported injured.

Travis shared both a written statement and a video expressing his regrets for the incident. “My fans really mean the world to me,” he said. “I always just really want to leave them with a positive experience. […] I’m honestly just devastated. I could never imagine anything like this happening.” However, that hasn’t prevented him from being inundated with lawsuits, the first of which had already been filed the next day accusing Travis of “encouragement of violence.”

Meanwhile, Travis has also pledged his assistance to the victims’ families. Incidentally, his Day N Vegas replacement Post Malone recently postponed his own Posty Fest to 2022 citing logistical issues in the production of the event.

Travis Scott Reportedly Cancels His Day N Vegas Performance Because He’s ‘Too Distraught’ After Astroworld

This past weekend was supposed to be a highlight of the year for Travis Scott, but instead, it became one of the biggest tragedies of his life. At his Astroworld festival, eight people died and many more were injured due to a crowd surge during Scott’s set. The rapper was supposed to be a headliner at this upcoming weekend’s Day N Vegas festival, but understandably, it looks like he will not be performing as planned.

Variety reports that Scott has backed out of the performance because he is “too distraught to play,” according to the publication’s source. As of this post, Day N Vegas organizers have yet to announce any lineup changes related to Scott.

Indeed, Scott seemed deeply bothered by what happened in the statements he shared. His first public response was a written statement in which he said, “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival.” He reiterated that in a video he later shared, saying, “My fans really mean the world to me. I always just really want to leave them with a positive experience. […] I’m honestly just devastated. I could never imagine anything like this happening.”

Furthermore, Variety also reports that Scott intends to provide full refunds to all Astroworld ticketholders.

Why Festivals Should Book More Legacy Rap Acts And The Shows That Prove It’s Possible

Recently, I wrote about how music festivals have become the new proving ground for emerging artists. But there’s another function that festivals could be serving at the other end of the spectrum: booking legacy acts. While greenhorns and neophytes need a space to work out the kinks in their live shows and build centralized fanbases without the expense and time commitment of a lengthy tour, those who have deeply contributed to hip-hop’s cultural narrative — and have been, unfortunately, overlooked and bypassed for so long — could use the same opportunities.

In the past, Uproxx has addressed the benefits of festival appearances for legacy rap acts like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Wu-Tang Clan… so why aren’t artists like these getting booked at more festivals? Or even for that matter, further down the bill at festivals marked for breakout hip-hop, such as Rolling Loud, Summer Smash, or Made In America? Whenever older acts are booked, it’s usually the biggest names — the Tribes, the Lauryn Hills, the Nases (Jones, not X), or the Snoops — and usually only as headliners.

That leaves a lot of room for overlooked, forgotten, underrated, and tenured rap acts, many of which remain active, playing small, local venues, juggling side hustles, and putting out their newest work independently. Off-hand, I can name dozens who have self-released their music, from AZ (the follow-up to his standout 90s borderline classic Doe Or Die drops this week) to EPMD (who got a nod on the eponymous track “EPMD” from Nas’ first King’s Disease album then appeared on the remix “EPMD 2” on the sequel) to many other artists whose catalogs Gen Z rediscovered through their participation in the Verzuz hits battle series produced by Swizz Beats and Timbaland.

Any number of veteran performers could fill out a festival lineup — especially in the medium-sized print section in the middle of the flyer — and offer an alternative to older fans wishing to skip sets from the newer acts figuring it out on the fly. Alternatively, younger fans catching performances from older artists could learn more about the music that preceded them and perhaps even influenced their current favorites. From a musical standpoint, diversifying the performers’ age groups could also create opportunities for much-needed mentorship and guidance by putting legends in close proximity to rising stars, benefiting both sides.

Imagine a world in which “old heads” didn’t seem quite so out of touch and bitter about being bypassed by the culture as tastes evolve. Imagine one in which “new jacks” were imparted the wisdom to care more about their careers and craft, avoiding the pitfalls and missteps that prematurely ended the relevance of some of those who came before them. In this world, rather than seeing constant internecine conflict between different generations of rappers and their fans, hip-hop could present a united front to the mainstream pop culture that often takes from it without compensation.

There has been some movement in a positive direction, though, with festivals like Lovers And Friends, whose original 2020 iteration struck a near-perfect balance between the classic and the new, casting Megan Thee Stallion and Saweetie alongside their inspirations like Eve, Lil Kim, and Foxy Brown before being canceled due to the pandemic. Perhaps when the rescheduled event returns, its organizers can find ways to include younger artists again after removing them from the 2022 flyer. Likewise, the Once Upon A Time In LA festival organized by Snoop Dogg has West Coast legends like DJ Quik and Warren G sharing space with rising names like BlueBucksClan, Drakeo The Ruler, and OhGeesy.

It’s worth noting that Snoop has always shared himself and his wisdom with up-and-coming artists from the Los Angeles area, and not a stretch to assume that at least some of his impressive longevity stems from that willingness to be a guide for younger artists rather than a judgmental scold. Artists often flourish under his tutelage — Game, Nipsey Hussle, Problem, and more have counted him as a mentor — while he benefits from being included in just about every young artist’s success story, not to mention their music. If/when D Smoke becomes a household name, Snoop Dogg will almost certainly be attached to D Smoke’s story for playing an instrumental role in the Rhythm+Flow rapper’s start and his feature on Smoke’s banger of a single, “Gaspar Yanga.”

Maybe it’s a little pie in the sky, but I can see a world where all our hifalutin ideas about cooperative, artist-owned labels, and rapper-led music industry labor unions could be achieved through this relationship-building putting artists with experience in the same rooms and on the same stages as ones with influence. Such a thing could only be good for hip-hop — and for the artists who represent it. Their recordings and performances could grow fresher, more entertaining, and more universally appealing, increasing the opportunities, platforms, and profits for everybody.

So, hey, promoters, not to tell you how to do your jobs but just think about expanding the age range of these festival rosters. If it doesn’t seem like they’d be much of a draw, I understand. I’m old enough to remember the downfalls of Paid Dues and Rock The Bells, so I know there’s a risk involved. But as the saying goes, no risk, no reward. This is a risk that has rewards far greater than just one event’s ticket sales. It could wind up paying off for generations to come. It could change the face of hip-hop or even the entire music industry. If festivals are really about the music, really about the community, then that’s a risk well worth taking. After all, hip-hop is for the children, but even children of hip-hop grow up eventually.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Concert Promoter AEG Will Require Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination At All Its US Venues

Would-be concertgoers had better get their shots, as Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the second-largest concert promotion company in the US behind Live Nation, will be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination at all of its US venues beginning in October. AEG notably operates some of the biggest venues in the States, including Staples Center, Brooklyn Steel, and Webster Hall, and subsidiaries like GoldenVoice operate festivals including Coachella, Stagecoach, and upcoming fests like Lovers & Friends and Day N Vegas.

Up until now, and until the policy goes into effect, AEG has been allowing entry with either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the event date. However, with new infections rising and the emergence of new variants of the novel coronavirus, including the Delta variant, AEG’s leadership wants to protect attendees — and the company’s bottom line — to ensure future events don’t get canceled or postponed as in 2020 when the initial COVID outbreak essentially shuttered the entertainment industry for months.

As AEG COO Jay Marciano explained in a statement:

“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status. Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers. Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated. We’ve already had to deliver bad news about JazzFest this week; I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.”

In contrast, Live Nation has let artists set the tone, determining vaccination requirements for their own shows. With this move, it’s possible AEG will put pressure on its industry peers to take further steps to protect the public and prevent another potentially disastrous industry-wide shutdown.

Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, And Tyler The Creator Are The Headliners For Day N Vegas 2021

Festival season is all the way back. After Made In America revealed its rap-heavy lineup headlined by Justin Bieber and Lil Baby, Day N Vegas got in on the action, announcing its massive lineup just minutes later. Headlined by Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Tyler The Creator, Day N Vegas will return to Las Vegas Festival Grounds on November 12-14 with three days of new and rising stars building on the success of the first iteration of the festival in 2019.

On Friday, Kendrick Lamar is billed to play songs from Section.80 up to DAMN. (no Overly Dedicated?? I will FIGHT), with DaBaby, YG, Ari Lennox, and Polo G top-lining a lineup that includes Kendrick’s TDE compatriot Isaiah Rashad, Flatbush Zombies, D Smoke, IDK, Yung Baby Tate, and more. Then, on Saturday, Travis Scott leads a roster of Lil Baby, Doja Cat, Saweetie, and Baby Keem. Undercards on Saturday include Cordae, Joey Badass, Freddie Gibbs, BIA, Blxst, and Audrey Nuna. Sunday, Babyface Ray, Flo Milli, Rico Nasty, Snot, Kota The Friend, Earl Sweatshirt, and Griselda build up to the big-faced names: SZA, Lil Uzi Vert, Snoh Aalegra, and Don Toliver, with Tyler The Creator closing out the festival.

Tickets go on presale Friday, 6/18 at noon Pacific. Get more info at DayNVegas2021.com.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.