Lovers & Friends Festival

Lil Kim Puts Her Twist On Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” Dance At Lovers & Friends

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Of course, the biggest story surrounding the Lovers & Friends Festival surrounds its host Usher’s alleged scuffle with Chris Brown. However, that doesn’t mean that there weren’t excellent performances at the event all around, such as Lil Kim. Moreover, the hip-hop icon graced the stage on Saturday (May 6) with a rundown of some of the most iconic points in her catalog. Still, she made some time to shout out the newer generation and add her own twist to it. At one point during her set, she danced along to Lil Uzi Vert’s massive hit “Just Wanna Rock.”

However, not every fan was happy with the performance, or reacted to it with the same enthusiasm. While many applauded her for doing her thing and having fun while doing so, others came through with more criticism, pointing out her dance moves or her body. Unfortunately, it’s pushback that Lil Kim always dealt with throughout her career, and brushed off each time. Whether it’s her legal issues or her place in the culture, the 48-year-old still garners a lot of conversation and discussion on her legacy.

Lil Kim Just Wants To Rock At Festival Performance

In fact, more recent teases point to that legacy facing off against another in a big way, especially considering past beef. Furthermore, Swizz Beatz recently led fans to believe that a Verzuz battle between Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj would be coming soon. “I can’t say, I can’t say,” he responded to questions on The Breakfast Club about the potential matchup. “So there’s still a possibility?” DJ Envy inquired. “Yeah, I can’t say. I can’t say,” the producer replied. “But just know if you’re going to wait this long for Verzuz, if we gone have you wait this long, it’s definitely going to be worth it. If I’m being quiet, things are happening. It was important for us to take a break and organize what we have and actually understand what we have.”

Meanwhile, the “Crush On You” MC will share her story on Audible’s hip hop series coming this summer. With that in mind, perhaps she’s now in a place where she wants to celebrate and look back on her illustrious career. Be it through a Verzuz matchup or another dance homage to a contemporary hit, her name is here to stay. Regardless, log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Lil Kim.

N.O.R.E. Links Up With 50 Cent And Nelly At Lovers & Friends

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There has been a lot written about Usher’s Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas. However, most of those articles have focused on the fallout of an alleged fight between Chris Brown and Usher. Usher reportedly suffered a beatdown at the hands of Brown and his entourage outside the roller rink hosting Brown’s 34th birthday. It just so happened that the party was happening on the eve of the Usher-organized Lovers & Friends Festival.

Usher had reportedly been telling Brown to back off from Teyana Taylor, who Brown had been verbally assaulting inside. The incident allegedly left Usher with a bloody nose and bruised ribs. However, both he and Brown performed their sets at the festival. Furthermore, no further drama has emerged between the two of them. Lovers & Friends was awash with big-name talent, hailing itself as a hub of nostalgic hip hop. But away from the Brown-Usher drama, there were so many more wholesome link-ups going down.

N.O.R.E. Seen With Nelly And 50 Cent

N.O.R.E., 50 Cent, and Nelly were all scheduled to perform at Lovers & Friends. N.O.R.E. had a small set on the Crunk Stage. Nelly was the late afternoon anchor for the Friends Stage. Meanwhile, 50 Cent was locked into the Lovers Stage evening slot. They were just three of the 49 total articles that played the noon to midnight schedule. The festival closed out with sets from Missy Elliott and PartyNextDoor on the Lovers and Crunk Stages respectively. The day had opened with a set from Lil Mo on the Crunk Stage. Overall, the Crunk Stage was the busiest, with 18 acts performing between 12:00pm and 10:45pm.

However, despite their busy schedules, that didn’t stop the three music legends from meeting up. N.O.R.E. is overjoyed to see 50 and Nelly, yelling at them excitedly, “Imma be honest, I kinda feel like I put both you n****s out”. The three artists joked around for a few minutes before N.O.R.E. announced that he was leaving, going to embrace 50. Despite the drama earlier in the day, the festival appears to have gone off successfully without incident. Follow HotNewHipHop for all the latest music and festival news.

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Chris Brown Still Performs At Usher’s Lovers & Friends Festival After Alleged Fight

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The more we hear from Chris Brown and Usher, the more people are skeptical on whether or not they fought. Moreover, Usher’s Lovers & Friends Festival recently took place just a day after Brown and his crew allegedly jumped his fellow R&B star, which sent fans into a social media frenzy. For one, people know that the two have a pretty close relationship and show each other love, so this was surprising from the jump. However, many also pointed out the “Yeah 3x” singer’s history of alleged brawls and other controversies, placing blame solely on him for this incident. Still, at least from what the stage indicates, they are both fine.

Not only did Usher perform at the festival as originally expected, but Chris Brown also put on quite the show at the Las Vegas festival. Performing through some of his biggest hits and bringing out special guests like Tyga, it seems like the whole alleged altercation between them went unaddressed from both parties. Despite every publication reporting on their supposed brawl, one would think that the Confessions star wouldn’t allow his assailant to perform at his festival. As such, either it didn’t happen at all or he just didn’t get it done in time.

Chris Brown Takes The Stage At Usher’s Festival

Regardless of many signs pointing to “no” on the rumor, others heard from reportedly close sources about what went down at the birthday party. Furthermore, it seems like Chris Brown was apparently mad at Teyana Taylor for attending after she skipped his Michael Jackson tribute performance at the VMAs, which was then canceled. Brown then told Taylor to leave the party, and a verbal altercation between the two ensued. Reportedly, that’s when Usher stepped in to ease tensions and allegedly caught a bloody nose as a result.

No matter what’s going on between the two, neither an actual fight nor rumors of one seemed to faze their commitment to performing. Of course, they are both stars in that department of the R&B world, with the “GLU” artist boasting a massive Las Vegas residency as of late. Until we hear directly from either source, fans will continue to debate this scuffle’s authenticity. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Usher and Chris Brown.

Usher Performs At Lovers & Friends After Chris Brown Fight

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Usher performed at Lovers & Friends Music Festival in Las Vegas on Saturday night, following a reported fight with Chris Brown over Teyana Taylor. Before the performance, he posted several videos of himself on Instagram backstage at the venue, seeming to confirm that he was uninjured despite rumors to the contrary.

Early reports from TMZ stated Usher’s nose and face were banged up in the fight. The outlet also published a brief video of the altercation, in which Teyana Taylor could be seen in the background at Brown’s birthday party. Brown was reportedly unhappy about last year’s scrapped AMAs performance. Sources tell TMZ that the planning of that performance was partially handled by Taylor. Taylor also recently served as the creative director for Latto’s performance at Coachella.

Usher At Lovers & Friends

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 06: Usher performs on stage during the Lovers & Friends music festival at the Las Vegas. Festival Grounds on May 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage)

For his appearance at the second annual Lovers & Friends Festival, Usher joins many other top artists including Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Flo Rida, Nelly, Pitbull, Christin Aguilera, Lil Kim, Omarion, Bow Wow, JoJo, and more. While the event primarily celebrates hip-hop and R&B stars of the ’90s and 2000s, there are several more contemporary acts too such as Summer Walker, Jhené Aiko, Miguel, PartyNextDoor, and Bryson Tiller.

Usher’s appearance at the festival comes amid his highly-popular residency in Las Vegas. Kim Kardashian, Kimora Lee Simmons, Zendaya, and Tom Holland, among others, have all attended the shows in recent weeks. Usher discussed his love for performing with BET for an interview ahead of the residency, earlier this year. “That’s because of the time and passion I put into the art,” he said. “The art is the show, the music is the offering, right? Because everybody’s going to interpret what I’m saying maybe a different way because of their experience or what they feel. But the art of it and the time where I get a chance to give something to people that they’ll remember forever is in that moment. So that’s what I love about performing live for my fans.”

Usher Argues With Chris Brown

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Usher To Play Festival Despite Chris Brown Altercation

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On May 5, Chris Brown hosted his 34th birthday party at a skating rink in Las Vegas. Teyana Taylor arrived at the event, which angered Brown. According to reports, Brown and Taylor are currently at odds due to Taylor pulling out of Brown’s canceled Michael Jackson tribute at the AMAs. Brown got angry at Taylor, causing Usher to step in and try to defuse the situation. This directed Brown’s anger at Usher and the two argued. Brown then left the venue, with Usher following him to continue the conversation. Outside, Usher was allegedly jumped by Brown and his entourage.

However, footage of the fight is yet to surface and many people remain skeptical about its severity. This is because the incident reportedly took place in a Vegas parking lot and yet no one appears to have actually witnessed the fight itself. Furthermore, gossip outlets are starting to catch flak for their glib tone about proceedings. As one commentator on a Neighborhood Talk post wrote, “I just find it weird that it took CB attacking Usher for y’all to seem how violent he is, but not the multiple women he has abused.” Both Usher and Brown were scheduled to perform at Usher’s Lovers & Friends Festival on May 6. However, it was unknown how the altercation would affect this.

Usher To Still Play Set

According to The Neighborhood Talk, Usher will still perform his set on the Friends Stage. “Our sources assure he’s going to power through and put on a good show. He may, however, be covering up a bit,” read the post on The Neighborhood Talk. Usher is set to begin his set at 7:55pm MDT. Usher reportedly suffered a bloody nose and bruised ribs after being jumped by Brown and his crew. The incident reportedly happened behind a row of charter buses at the roller rink where the birthday party was happening.

However, there is no word on whether Brown will perform his set. Brown was scheduled to perform at 6:15pm on the Friends Stage. However, it is unclear if that is still the case, even if Usher is still planning to perform. This is a developing story and any new updates can be found here on HotNewHipHop.

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2023 Summer Festivals Hip Hop Fans Can’t Miss

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Get excited: 2023’s summer festival season has fully begun. Festivals such as Coachella, Dreamville Fest, and Something In The Water have already happened.​​ The resurgence of live music following the pandemic has led to numerous worldwide festivals announcing their annual lineups. Festival mainstays such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and The Governors Ball hold annual events which music fans can look forward to. The summer festival circuit for 2023 consists of many must-see live events for hip hop fans.

This is a list of summer festivals in 2023 that hip hop fans can’t miss. The list comprises five festivals worldwide with impressive lineups essential for hip hop concertgoers. Each festival on this list has a diverse list of hip hop artists in their lineups. The events are listed in order of when they occur. Further details of the events can be found on their respective websites and social media pages. Take a look at the list below.

Lovers & Friends

The latest edition of the Lovers & Friends festival will be happening tomorrow, May 6 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The stacked lineup consists of many legendary hip hop and R&B artists from the early 2000s as Lovers & Friends celebrates that period and embraces nostalgia. There are almost 50 artists on the bill, making for one eventful day. Before the festival, the schedule was released so fans could plan ahead. Missy Elliott, recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will headline along with Mariah Carey, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Boyz II Men closing other stages. Additionally, other performers include Usher, Miguel, Chris Brown, 50 Cent, Jhené Aiko, and Christina Aguilera. Tickets to this year’s event are sold out.

Roots Picnic

The Roots have been hosting their own festival in their hometown of Philadelphia for quite some time now. Last year, the first post-pandemic Roots Picnic lineup saw the festival expanding into two days. This year, the Roots Picnic returns to The Mann at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on June 3 and 4. Dave Chappelle and The Roots will also perform for the festival at the Wells Fargo Center on June 2. The eclectic lineup consists of headliners Ms. Lauryn Hill, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her iconic debut album, as well as Diddy, backed by The Roots. Other notable performers include Ari Lennox, City Girls, dvsn, Syd, as well as a State Property reunion. Also, Black Thought will be curating his annual “live mixtape,” where he brings out artists and raps over their songs. This year, Black Thought is joined by Eve and Busta Rhymes. 

Hive Music Festival

One of the newest events on this list, Hive Music Festival’s promising lineup, shows that it is a must for hip hop fans attending 2023 summer festivals. This year’s edition of the event is being held at Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City on June 9-10. Artists on this year’s lineup include headliners Kid Cudi and Post Malone, along with Joey Bada$$, Big Sean, Denzel Curry, Ab-Soul, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, and more. Joji is also listed as a special guest on this year’s lineup.

Rolling Loud

As far as hip hop festivals go, Rolling Loud is undeniably one of the biggest events. The festival draws in younger audiences as it is known for its rowdy performances and mosh-heavy crowds. Originating in Florida, the traveling hip hop festival has expanded worldwide. The California edition of the festival happened back in March, and they will hold five other festivals throughout the summer.

Rolling Loud Miami will happen July 21-23 at Hard Rock Stadium with headliners Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and A$AP Rocky. Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott will also perform at Rolling Loud Rotterdam on June 30-July 1. After, the two will perform at Rolling Loud Germany in Munich on July 7-9. Wizkid will join Kendrick and Travis at Rolling Loud Germany as the Day One headliner. The annual Portugal edition of the festival will have Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and Meek Mill as headliners, performing in Portimão. 

Blue Note Jazz Festival

As far as 2023 summer festivals go, the Blue Note Jazz Festival in Napa, California, has easily one of the most stacked lineups, consisting of hip hop, R&B, soul, jazz, and funk. In its city of origin, the annual New York version of the festival will occur in June at various venues in the city. The latest Blue Note Jazz Festival in Napa is happening at Silverado Resort on July 28-30.

The three-day festival has enlisted Mary J. Blige, Nas, and Chance The Rapper to headline, along with Robert Glasper as their artist in residence. Glasper is joined by De La Soul, Lalah Hathaway, and Bilal, with Dave Chappelle hosting his sets. Other performers include Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge as NxWorries, Ari Lennox, Cordae, Gary Clark Jr., Talib Kweli & Madlib, and Rapsody. Following the festival, each night consists of various afterparties hosted by the likes of 9th Wonder, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Anderson .Paak. Overall, there are plenty of 2023 summer festivals to look forward to. Comment below what festivals you will be attending this year.

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Here Are The Lovers & Friends Festival Set Times For 2023

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Missy Elliott 2019 MTV Video Music Awards
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Missy Elliott “cried all morning” in gratitude after it was revealed she will be the first-ever female rapper to inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when this year’s class was announced on Wednesday morning, May 3. Missy will be inducted alongside Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush, Rage Against The Machine, George Michael, and The Spinners during a ceremony this November.

The groundbreaking artist will properly begin her months-long celebration at the Lovers And Friends Festival on Saturday, May 6, in Las Vegas. Elliott was tapped as a headliner, as were 5o Cent and Usher.

The official set times have been released.

Elliott is scheduled to take the Lovers Stage at 10:30 p.m. local time. Before welcoming her, that stage will feature Christina Aguilera at 9 p.m., 50 Cent at 7:20 p.m., Miguel at 5:30 p.m., Pitbull at 4:10 p.m., Lil Kim at 3 p.m., Omarion at 1:50 p.m., and Next at 12:40 p.m.

Mariah Carey will cap off the night on the Friends Stage at 9:40 p.m. immediately following Usher’s 7:55 p.m. set. That stage will also host Chris Brown at 6:15 p.m., Nelly at 4:50 p.m., Jhené Aiko at 3:35 p.m., Shaggy at 2:25 p.m., Da Brat at 1:15 p.m., and Lumidee at 12:15 p.m.

The Crunk Stage and Bling Stage will be the busiest, including the likes of PartyNextDoor, Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller, Sean Paul, T.I., Ginuwine, Boyz II Men, Eve, Bow Wow, and more.

See the full schedule below.

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

Lil Jon Threatens To Sue Over “Lovers & Friends” Festival: Report

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Live Nation is about to make an enemy out of Lil Jon. He’s known for his vivacious personality, noticeable adlibs, and fire productions, but a recent report states Jon isn’t happy with the Lovers & Friends Festival promoters. The concert returns in May, and Lil Jon Is upset that the title of his hit track is being used as the festival’s name.

It’s reported that this week, the rapper’s team sent a letter to Live Nation hoping “to reach a financial agreement.”

Read More: 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, & More To Perform At Lovers & Friends 2023

This allegedly isn’t the first time Lil Jon has attempted to converse with Live Nation representatives. His attorney, Doug Davis, is said to have talked with the company back in May 2022. Additionally, it was “assumed” that Live Nation would do right by Lil Jon. Things didn’t escalate because he was headlining the festival with several famous friends.

However, this time around, there were many artists asked to once again join the line-up—but Lil Jon was left out. Another of the artist’s attorneys compared the situation to having a “Don’t Stop Believin’” festival without Journey.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 15: Rapper Lil Jon performs during the 2022 Lovers & Friends music festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
Read More: Lovers & Friends Festival Adds Second Day & Changes Lineup

TMZ also reported that Jon doesn’t want to take the promoters to court and hopes that a settlement is reached. Live Nation has yet to react publicly to Lil Jon’s warning.

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50 Cent, Missy Elliott, & More To Perform At Lovers & Friends 2023

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Lovers & Friends has released the full lineup for its 2023 festival. The event, presented by Usher, will feature performances from 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, and many more artists.

It will be Elliott’s first billed performance since 2019. Among the top other billings are Mariah Carey, Pitbull, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, as well as Usher himself.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 21: Missy Elliott performs onstage during day 1 of FYF Fest 2017 on July 21, 2017 at Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for FYF)

Other performers at the event include Miguel, Summer Walker, Jhené Aiko, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Bryson Tiller.

Working further down the lineup of 45 artists, more include Nelly, Busta Rhymes, Boyz II Men, Master P and the No Limit Soldiers, the Diplomats, Ginuwine, Remy Ma, N.O.R.E., Omarion, Bow Wow, Lil Kim, Eve, T.I., Flo Rida, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Soulja Boy, Da Brat, Chingy, Petey Pablo, Blackstreet, Jagged Edge, Next, Mannie Fresh, Dem Franchise Boyz, Wayne Wonder, Yung Joc, Kevin Lyttle, Lumidee, Baby Bash, Frankie J, 702, Lil Rob, MC Magic, Lil Rob.

Lovers & Friends was originally going to begin in May 2020 in Los Angeles, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. They rescheduled for 2022 and moved to Las Vegas. Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe, Lauryn Hill, and more all performed.

Tickets for Lovers & Friends 2023 will go on sale Friday at 10:00 AM, PST. There will be GA, GA+, VIP, and VIP Cabana presale tickets available at that time. Tickets for the general public will be fully available four hours later at 2:00 PM, PST. Layaway payment plans will start at $19.99 down.

Lovers & Friends 2023 is scheduled for May 6 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

Check out the full lineup for Lovers & Friends 2023 below.

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50 Cent, Missy Elliott, And Usher Will Headline Lovers And Friends Festival When It Returns This Spring

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usher lovers and friends
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Like Aaliyah once said, “If at first, you don’t succeed, you can brush it off and try again.” That seems to be the strategy the Lovers And Friends Festival is going with this spring (you just know Aaliyah herself would have been on the lineup), bringing back the nostalgic event for a second attempt at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 6. Today, the fest announced its millennial-baiting lineup, which features TRL faves like Missy Elliott, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, and of course, the fest’s inspiration, Usher, whose 2004 hit is the festival’s namesake.

Unfortunately, Lovers And Friends Festival has had a bumpy road so far, starting with its first planned iteration in Carson, California in 2020. Numerous artists on the original lineup initially denied their involvement after the show was announced before their respective booking agents let them know they were on the c/o 2000 fever dream lineup. Once they were confirmed, demand for tickets skyrocketed, prompting the organizers to add a second day before the COVID-19 pandemic put the kibosh on the whole event.

However, a revamped version of the festival came back in 2022, moving to Las Vegas and reverting back to a one-day fest. This turned out to be kind of a bad idea, as logistics for the fest were kind of a mess, leaving fans without shade or water in the 100-plus-degree desert heat (which tends to go the other way at night, leaving fans freezing instead). Then, there were reports of gunfire, causing stampedes and thankfully minor injuries.

Hopefully, they can learn from those mistakes as they return this spring and give fans the show they deserve because as an elder millennial (or Xennial or whatever you call us), I for one am extremely tired of having the rug pulled out from under me. Let us have something nice, for once. Please and thanks.

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