Dreamville Festival

Usher Brought Out Beyoncé For ‘Dreamville Fest,’ Or So His Cruel April Fool’s Joke Led On

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Usher Dreamville Music Festival 2023
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Usher may be the uncrowned king of Vegas, thanks to the success of his Usher: My Way Las Vegas residency, but on April 1, he almost became the most hated man in America — or at least Raleigh, North Carolina. During his set at Dreamville Festival, the “Glu” singer decided to have a little fun with the crowd.

Instead of provocatively feeding fans strawberries, the musician wanted to step into the role of prankster before April Fool’s Day came to a close. Before the audio engineer could cue up the next track in his set list, Usher instructed them to pump the breaks. The recording artist then took a moment to address the eager crowd.

“I said I would have a special surprise for you tonight, ladies and gentlemen,” said the singer, continuing, “You guys want to know what that surprise is?”

As the crowd’s anticipation grew, he declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, put your hands together for the one, the only — Beyoncé.” The concertgoers erupted with cheer as the lights dimmed. But after a few seconds, when the “Break My Soul” singer didn’t take the stage, fans grew uneasy. Usher then confessed that it was all a prank, “April fools.”

While the pair have collaborated in the past on music, in music videos, and onstage, Dreamville Festival 2023 was not going to be the place for their reunion.

Fans took to social media to share their reaction to the prank, with some even claiming to have been in attendance.

Look’s like if you want to see The Bey Hive queen, you’re going to have to grab tickets to the Renaissance World Tour.

Dreamville Fest Is Honoring Hip-Hop’s Anniversary In A Free Event With Ari Lennox, Timbaland, And More

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ari lennox
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Dreamville Music Festival is kicking off tomorrow (March 31) in Raleigh, North Carolina. They have also just announced a special free event that will honor 50 years of hip-hop, titled “50 And Forever,” and led by Amazon Music and the NC Department Of Natural And Cultural Resources.

With panels that feature artists like Ari Lennox, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, and other local performers, and beat-making classes, the all-day party will be hosted at the CAM Raleigh art museum. Additionally, there will be livestreams and other artists honored, including J. Cole (who runs Dreamville), Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifah, Jeezy, Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Jadakiss, DJ Drama, Jodeci, Free Marie, and Kenny Burns, according to Variety.

“We’ll have an array of panels as well as a beat-making class,” Nasira Abdur-Razzaq, the event coordinator for CAM Raleigh, said per ABC 11. “There’ll be different interviews with different artists. You’ll have a chance to interact as well as a car show that’s going to be happening across the street. We like the idea of culture and art and music all combining together, which is why this is so important for CAM to be collaborating with Dreamville. So, we just look forward to having everyone here.”

According to the news channel, the events kick off at noon local time and will run until 11 p.m. — with the last panel happening at 8 p.m. Those who wish to go do not also need a festival ticket to attend, giving everyone in the community a chance to experience the festivities.

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

Here Are The Dreamville Fest Set Times For 2023

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Dreamville

The 2023 Dreamville Festival kicks off this weekend and whether you’re attending in person or watching it online, Uproxx has you covered on the set times for your favorite artists, which you can find below.

The Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina doors will open at 12 noon on both days; Usher is headlining Saturday’s festivities at 9:30 pm, while J. Cole and Drake’s joint headlining set on Sunday will be slightly earlier, at 9:15. The smaller festival also has the benefit of being able to program nearly every set with enough time to set just about all of them (provided they all begin and end on time), with plenty of time to get from Burna Boy to Cole and Drake.

Funnily enough, it looks like Lil Durk and Usher are a little closer together, but it does make you wonder how much overlap those fanbases have. If you’re watching online via Amazon Music’s Twitch channel or on Prime Video, you won’t have to worry about this stuff, obviously.

In addition to the usual Dreamville roster mainstays like Ari Lennox, Bas, Cozz, Earthgang, JID, Lute, and Omen, the lineup also includes fan faves like Baby Tate, City Girls, GloRilla, Jessie Reyez, Key Glock, Lil Durk, Mario, Sean Paul, SiR, Summer Walker, and Waka Flock Flame. Check out the set times below.

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

Dreamville Festival Launches Hip-Hop 50 Initiative With Timbaland, 9th Wonder & More

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We’re just days away from Dreamville Festival, which will be held in Raleigh, NC this weekend. The J. Cole-led festivities will include plenty of outstanding performances from the label’s roster, as well as J. Cole and Drake who will co-headline Sunday night together for the first time ever. Needless to say, it’s going to be nothing short of exciting but that’s not all that they have in store. The Dreamville crew added a new component that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Per ABC11, Dreamville partnered with the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and Amazon Music for Friday’s 50 and Forever event, which celebrates the milestone anniversary of the culture. The event takes place at the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh this Friday with some special appearances a few of our favorite artists. Bas, Ari Lennox, 9th Wonder, and Timbaland are among those that will sit on the panel, as well as MixedByAli, TDE’s go-to engineer. Additionally, a beat battle between Bink! Vs Nottz and Khrysis and D.R.U.G.S. will also take place for the free event.

Dreamville’s Hip-Hop 50 Plans

The upcoming event will certainly provide a different vibe compared to this weekend’s two-day festival, especially as J. Cole touches down in his homestate. Contemporary Art Museum event coordinator Nasira Razzaq shared more details about the Dreamville event. “We’ll have an array of panels as well as a beat-making class,” said Nasira Abdur-Razzaq about the upcoming event at CAM. “There’ll be different interviews with different artists. You’ll have a chance to interact as well as a car show that’s going to be happening across the street.”

Though it’s unclear if 50 and Forever will be available on livestream, fans will be able to tune into the weekend’s festivities. Dreamville partnered with Amazon Prime to stream the entire two-day festival, and we suspect there will be some major moments to look forward to. Lil Durk, City Girls, Key Glock, GloRilla, Summer Walker, and Burna Boy are among the major names who will grace the stage on Saturday and Sunday, along with the entire Dreamville roster. Stay locked into HotNewHipHop for more updates on Dreamville Fest. 

How To Watch Dreamville Festival 2023 Online

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The 2023 Dreamville Festival kicks off this weekend at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina with Drake headlining alongside Dreamville team captain J. Cole and a slew of hip-hop’s hottest names in tow beside the label’s roster. If you’re not in NC and feeling the FOMO, don’t worry, though — fans will be able to catch all the action from home courtesy of a livestream, just like last year.

So, here’s…

How To Watch Dreamville Festival 2023 Online

The festival will once again stream live via Twitch on the Amazon Music channel. It will also stream via Prime Video, so you can download either app to watch the performances from the likes of Baby Tate, Burna Boy, City Girls, GloRilla, Jessie Reyez, Key Glock, Lil Durk, Mario, Sean Paul, Summer Walker, Usher, Waka Flocka Flame, and the Dreamville crew.

The co-headlining set featuring both Drake and J. Cole shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans. The two rappers (who were both influenced by North Carolina group Little Brother) have expressed support for each other repeatedly throughout their careers. From collaborating on “In The Morning” from Cole’s 2010 mixtape Friday Night Lights to taking turns praising each other’s rap skills and impact on the genre to Drake even showing up at Cole’s basketball games, the two have shared a friendly relationship over the years, even though they are ostensibly rivals for the top spot. And at least Drake’s appearance won’t be likely to disappoint fans like the last time he headlined a festival.

You can find Amazon Music’s Twitch channel here.

How Much Are Dreamville Fest 2023 Tickets?

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North Carolina’s premier hip-hop and R&B multi-day event, Dreamville Festival, is backed with a stacked lineup. Organized by rap star J. Cole’s record label, Dreamville, the two-day outdoor festivities will be headlined by Usher, Drake, Burna Boy, and himself. The powerhouse event bill justifies Cole’s message on Twitter prior to the announcement.

“Bout to drop the hardest festival lineup ever Dreamville Fest sheeeeeeeesh [crying laughing emojis],” wrote Cole. However, with such heavy hitters, many are wondering how much are Dreamville Fest 2023 tickets.

According to the event’s official website, tickets will be divided into five separate groups, general admission, general admission+, junior varsity VIP, varsity VIP, and most valuable player VIP. All packages cover both days, but they include different perks.

General admission packages start at $249, general admission+ packages start at $499, junior varsity VIP packages start at $749, varsity VIP packages start at $999, and most valuable player VIP packages start at $1,499.

Tickets for Dreamville Festival 2023 are on sale now. To purchase tickets, click here. View the official flyer below.

Continue reading for the lineup (listed in the weighed order in which the acts appear on the flyer).

Saturday, April 1

  • Usher
  • Lil Durk
  • Ari Lennox
  • City Girls
  • Sean Paul
  • EarthGang
  • Jessie Reyez
  • Key Glock
  • Sir
  • Lute
  • Omen
  • Marqus Clae
  • Victony

Sunday, April 2

  • J. Cole
  • Drake
  • Bruna Boy
  • Summer Walker
  • J.I.D.
  • Glorilla
  • Bas
  • Waka Flocka Flame
  • Mario
  • Ayra Starr
  • Baby Tate
  • Cozz
  • Jordan Ward
  • Reuben
  • Vincent
Dreamville Festival 2023 flyer
Dreamville / Twitter

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

How To Get Tickets For Dreamville Fest 2023

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The Dreamville Festival gets bigger and better every year and 2023 is no exception. J. Cole’s little label-that-could recently announced the lineup for its third iteration and it’s kind of a doozy. Not only will Usher headline the first night fresh off of his hot Las Vegas residency, but J. Cole has recruited co-headliner Drake to help him close out the festival — a connection that longtime fans of both will surely appreciate.

In addition to the usual gang — Ari Lennox, Bas, Cozz, Earthgang, JID, Lute, and Omen — the remaining lineup is a millennial dream come true, with plenty of Gen Z faves in the mix as well. Big-name stars of yesteryear like Mario, Sean Paul, and Waka Flocka Flame have been paired with contemporary heavy hitters such as Baby Tate, Burna Boy, City Girls, GloRilla, Jessie Reyez, Key Glock, Lil Durk, SiR, and Summer Walker. The fest also highlights rising stars like Arya Starr, Jordan Ward, Marqus Clae, Reuben Vincent, and Victony for a truly well-rounded experience.

The festival returns to Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 1 and 2. You can check out last year’s highlights below. Dreamville Fest 2022 was headlined by J. Cole and Lil Baby and featured performances from DJ Drama (with Jeezy, Lil Wayne, and T.I.), Ja Rule & Ashanti, Wale, and Wizkid.

For ticketing information, head to dreamvillefest.com.

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

The Stacked 2023 Dreamville Festival Is Set To Headlined By J. Cole, Drake, Usher, And Burna Boy

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Rap superstar J. Cole’s record label’s annual namesake music festival is back. After being canceled in 2020 amid coronavirus concerns, last year, the festival expanded much to the pleasure of avid supporters. The multi-day lineup continues this year, as Dreamville Festival 2023 will be held on both April 1 and 2 at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This year’s festival will be headlined by Usher (on Saturday, April 1), J. Cole, Drake, and Burna Boy (on Sunday, April 2). Of course, Dreamville acts will grace the stage. Both Ari Lennox and JID’s respective tours will wrap up at the end of next month, giving them both plenty of time to prepare for their Dreamville Fest sets.

Minutes before dropping the lineup, Cole teased, “Bout to drop the hardest festival lineup ever @Dreamvillefest sheeeeeeeesh [crying laughing emojis].”

Whereas Bas is still in a full-on album preparation mood, releasing single, “Diamonds,” in late January. Fellow Dreamville Records signees Earthgang and Omen are slated to perform on the festival’s opening day.

Other notable acts on the lineup include Lil Durk, City Girls, Sean Paul, Sir, Summer Walker, Jessie Reyez, Baby Tate, and GloRilla.

View the full lineup below.

Dreamville Festival 2023 flyer
Dreamville / Twitter

Tickets for Dreamville Festival 2023 are on sale now. To purchase tickets, click here.

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

Drake & J. Cole To Headline Dreamville Fest 2023: Full Line-Up

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Dreamville Fest continues to grow each year into one of those events you don’t want to miss out on. Over the years, they’ve brought out some incredible talent while highlighting the Dreamville roster. J. Cole rightfully takes on the headlining slots, but he ensures that fans have a full experience throughout the two-day events. The festival launched in 2018, though it faced delays that year due to Hurricane Florence. However, despite the minor delay, Dreamville Festival became an annual staple in Raleigh, NC.

The 2022 installment came with plenty of momentum as J. Cole and Dreamville delivered D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape, hosted by DJ Drama, just days before. The two-day event boasted appearances from acts like Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Baby, and WizKid. Along with J. Cole, DJ Drama hosted a special Gangsta Grillz set alongside Lil Wayne, Jeezy and T.I. for his headlining slot. Evidently, they continue to raise the bar year after year with impressive rosters that lead to viral moments. 

Dreamville Fest 2023: Drake, J. Cole & Usher Headline

Today, Dreamville formally announced the line-up for the 2023 installment which takes place on April 1st and 2nd. The first night will include a headlining spot from Usher. However, Cole will close out this year’s Dreamville Festival with a bang. Drake and J. Cole will share the stage on April 2nd for a co-headlining set at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Though the two have brought each other out on numerous occasions, the co-headlining set will be a first in both of their careers. Perhaps, this could be a sign that they have a new collaboration on the horizon.

Besides the headlining acts, Dreamville Fest 2023 will be filled with exciting performances across the two days. Several artists from Dreamville, including Ari Lennox, EarthGang, Lute and Omen, will take the stage on April 1st, while J.I.D, Bas and Cozz will hit the stage the following day. The festival will also boast performances from Sean Paul, City Girls, Lil Durk, Key Glock, and Sir on day one. The next day, Summer Walker, GloRilla, Waka Flocka, Mario, Baby Tate and Ayra Starr will hit the stage. Additionally, Burna Boy is also set to perform on April 2nd. Check the full line-up above.

Dreamville Festival Generates More Than $6.7 Million in Direct Economic Impact to Wake County

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One of the largest artist-run music festivals in the country expands attendance and economic impact with two-day festival in Raleigh.

Curated by North Carolina-raised, Grammy Award-winning, and multi-platinum hip-hop artist J. Cole and his Dreamville team, the 2022 Dreamville Festival saw a combined attendance of 80,000 at the two-day, multi-stage festival in downtown Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park. This year’s festivities generated $6.7 million in direct economic impact within Wake County, according to figures released today by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

MORE: J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival Brings 80,000 Attendees to North Carolina

Local and global fans alike flocked to Raleigh for the return of the April 2-3 festival with tickets being sold in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 20 countries. Wake County occupancy also swelled to 92% on the Saturday night of the festival.

It is important to note that the $6.7 million is a conservative estimate that does not include locals’ spending, nor does it include a multiplier of indirect or induced impacts. It represents tourism economic impact only, which is new money coming into the local economy.

“My team and I continue to be awed by the overwhelming support we’ve received since closing out the second Dreamville Festival this April. But to now fully realize the festival’s positive impact on the local economy and tourism, it truly is unbelievable,” said Dreamville Partner and Festival President Adam Roy. “We are grateful for our fans who traveled across the U.S. and internationally to attend the fest, as well as for those from the City of Raleigh and Wake County who helped bring this event together. Our Dreamville team looks forward to furthering its investments in the community for years to come, especially as we plan for the festival’s return in spring 2023.”

MORE: Dreamville Set to Drop Mixtape with DJ Drama Before Dreamville Festival

After a sold-out inaugural event in 2019, the Dreamville Festival was rescheduled the following years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning strong, the second annual Dreamville Festival once again provided a thoughtfully curated, multi-stage music event from J. Cole, who was raised in nearby Fayetteville, N.C. The festival provided an opportunity for J. Cole to give back to his home state that shaped the artist he has become with a one-of-a-kind celebration of local culture, food and art featuring a curated selection of music performers blending some of today’s biggest national acts with exciting up-and-comers including WizKid, Lil Baby, Kehlani, Wiz Khalifa, Wale and T-Pain, as well as the entire Dreamville Records roster, among many other talented acts. North Carolina natives Morray and Lute also performed at this year’s festival.

“The increase in economic impact and attendance over this year’s two-day festival is gratifying to see after the pandemic hindered the previously sold-out event from taking place the last couple of years,” said Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of Visit Raleigh. “The successful turnout for Dreamville Festival reiterates that events and travel are back in our area and the demand is still prevalent.”

A portion of proceeds from this year’s festival will be donated to official Dreamville Festival charity partners, the Dreamville Foundation and Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy.

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