Honeyland Festival is returning to Sugar Land, Texas this weekend, with performances being held on November 11 and 12. The lineup also has some pretty cool acts not to miss. Each day, the doors will open at noon, with welcoming sets starting at the same time. For those who are going or even just considering, here’s what to know about the 2023 set times.
On Saturday, Dende will play from 2:10-2:40 p.m. on the Beats Stage, followed by Spinall at 4:10-4:40, Uproxx cover star Chlöe at 5:10-55, Tobe Nwigwe at 6:35-7:20, Summer Walker at 8:00-9:00, and Miguel closing things out on that stage from 9:40-10:55. There will also be unique experiences, including over at the Pepsi Park @ Honeyland, where attendees can play games like Stacked Uno at 7 p.m. or Spades from 9:00-11:00 at night.
Then, for the second day on Sunday, the Beats Stage keeps things going with an equally strong lineup. Tay Powers kicks things off at 1:00 p.m.. From there, Lenora will play from 2:10-2:40, Coco Jones from 3:20-3:50, Lucky Day from 4:30-5:15, Tems from 5:55-6:40, Houston All-Stars from 7:25-8:25, and finally, Mary J. Blige playing from 9:05-10:20. For those interested in checking out the games, the closing night one is something called Grown Folks Recess — which runs from 9:00-11:00 again.
Check out the complete Honeyland Festival set times for 2023 below. More information can also be found here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Queen of Hip Hop and R&B Mary J. Blige, along with Pepsi Co. Inc., is offering a $30,000 scholarship to one lucky student at Hampton University.
The Strength of A Woman Scholarship Initiative is offering eligible, female undergrads with a 2.5 GPA or better in Business Administration, Marketing, Arts, Finance or Creative Design the $30,000 grant, which is renewable for up to one year or until they earn their bachelor’s degree.
The PepsiCo and Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Scholarship is part of the beverage company’s $200,000 donation, which also supports other charities.
“The whole mission of this festival is to celebrate and advocate for Black women,” Mary J. Blige said in a statement when announcing the partnership earlier this year. “So to have Pepsi show up and show out in the way they do is overwhelming. With their support for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, we are able to pay it forward in so many impactful ways and to be able to grant an HBCU scholarship for a deserving student is nothing short of incredible.”
The application deadline os October 16 by 3pm. The recipient of the scholarship will be notified by December.
Mary J. Blige significantly impacts education by establishing a groundbreaking scholarship for women at Hampton University. Named “Strength Of A Woman,” this scholarship is exclusively for college sophomores and aims to empower women to pursue higher education. In a partnership with PepsiCo, the scholarship program has already gathered a remarkable $200,000 in donations, with Hampton […]
Diddy is claiming that an R&B revival is underway, and he’s the leader of this resurgence. While the Bad Boy Entertainment founder has played a role in bringing Mary J. Blige and Faith Evans to the R&B music world, he’s continuing to shape his legacy bringing new and fresh voices to music. Fresh off the heels of his latest project The Love Album: Off the Grid, which dropped on Sept. 15, Diddy is basking in it’s well-received praise. Diddy’s fifth studio album is pretty star-studded, with appearances from R&B heavyweights like Mary J. Blige, The-Dream, Summer Walker, The Weeknd, Jazmine Sullivan, Ty Dolla $ign, Kehlani, Coco Jones, John Legend, and more. He even featured R&B newcomers such as Jozzy, Kalan.FrFr, and Nija.
To celebrate the release, Diddy even took over the airwaves with “The Love Radio Takeover” on Apple Music 1 last week. Throughout the three-hour live radio broadcast, the music mogul formerly recognized as Puff Daddy discussed his thoughts on the current state of R&B music. “I wanted to work with different voices that I never had a chance to work with in R&B. I wanted to unify R&B because I believe that R&B is not getting the right lens,” he said. “I want to tell you some Black people, we do look alike. I could dig that, but Hip-Hop and R&B are two different things.”
Just last year, Diddy wrote in a tweet posing the question, “Who killed R&B?” This question sparked a huge discussion within the music industry, having people such as Usher chiming in to defend the genre. But now, a year later, Diddy’s had a change of heart. He’s all about R&B’s resurgence, thanks in part to the artists he collaborated with on his latest album. They’re pushing R&B into a whole new era, according to him.
The Love Records founder also discussed his thoughts on the genre by including his latest body of work as part of the conversation. “We’re coming with this album to make it clear that R&B is here,” Diddy said on Apple Music 1. “There’s an R&B resurgence and we all got together. This is not just my album. This is our album. Everybody that’s on the album from Summer Walker to Jozzy. Teyana Taylor, Babyface, John Legend and so many more.”
Hot97 and WLBS-FM recently hosted a celebratory event to honor hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. DJ Funk Flex curated the lineup and performances from artists that include Mary J. Blige, Wu-Tang Clan, Diddy, EPMD, and more. Hip Hop Forever: The Celebration Continues On Friday, September 15, Hot97 and WLBS-FM hosted a celebratory event at Madison Square Garden […]
Iconic R&B sensation Mary J. Blige has made headlines again, but this time, it’s not for her chart-topping music or outstanding vocal prowess. The nine-time Grammy Award winner has recently taken legal action against a talent agency, alleging a breach of contract related to an unresolved portion of her performance fee from the 2022 Funk Fest concert held in Miami.
The dispute revolves around $1.1 million, agreed upon as Mary J. Blige’s compensation for gracing the stage at the highly anticipated Funk Fest event. As one of the headlining acts, her performance was a major draw for fans and music enthusiasts. However, the agreement appears to hit a sour note regarding receiving her full payment.
Blige’s legal team argues that the talent agency responsible for securing her participation in the event failed to fulfill their contractual obligations. According to the singer’s representatives, the agency is accused of neglecting to pay the agreed-upon performance fee. This alleged breach of contract has left the celebrated artist with an unsettled debt of $1.1 million.
As the legal battle unfolds, fans and industry insiders are closely watching the case, which could set a precedent for how artists and talent agencies handle contractual disputes in the future. Blige, known for her powerful and emotionally charged performances, is determined to stand her ground and seek justice for what she believes is rightfully hers.
Mary J. Blige’s career has spanned decades, earning her a dedicated fan base and a permanent place in music history. Her decision to take legal action underscores the importance of respecting contractual agreements in the entertainment industry and the need to protect artists’ rights.
While the legal process takes its course, Mary J. Blige continues to shine as a musical icon, reminding us that her passion for her art is unwavering, even in the face of contractual challenges. As the world watches, we can only hope that this dispute will be resolved in a manner that upholds the principles of fairness and integrity within the entertainment industry.
Last night (Sept. 12), Sean “Diddy” Combs received the annual Global Icon Award in recognition of his legendary status at the 2023 MTV VMAs. The iconic music mogul not only accepted the award with a heartfelt speech, but Diddy also delivered a show-stopping performance. He even brought special guests such as Keyshia Cole, Yung Miami, and his son King Combs. Making a remarkable return to the awards show stage after nearly two decades, Diddy blessed the audience with a classic medley of hits, including crowd favorites like “Last Night,” “It’s All About the Benjamins,” and “Bad Boys For Life.” Diddy’s son King Combs stepped in for Ma$e, joining Diddy for a rendition of “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems.” Meanwhile, his twin daughters Jessie and D’Lila Combs took on the role of backing dancers during Diddy’s rendition of “I’ll Be Missing You.”
The multi-talented mogul made it a point to keep his family front and center throughout his entire appearance. Diddy’s 17-year-old daughter, Chance Combs, walked together with Mary J. Blige to present her father with the prestigious award of the night: the Global Icon Award. Diddy shared in his acceptance speech: “I thought I would be playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but God made another choice, and thank God for making this choice: for me to be able to touch you with my music, to make you feel good. That’s my only intention.”
Before Diddy’s heartfelt acceptance speech, the atmosphere seemed charged with anticipation as the audience awaited his words and applauded him. The Bad Boy Records founder’s presence on the stage was a testament to his influence on the music industry. As he stepped up to the microphone, he began by acknowledging the profound significance of the moment. His voice resonated with genuine emotion as he expressed, “This is a dream come true for me.” He continued, recounting his humble beginnings as a paperboy at the tender age of 12 and an ambitious dream to play in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“This is a dream come true for me,” Diddy said during his acceptance speech. I grew up watching MTV like, ‘Man, I wish one day I could be up there,’” Diddy said during the speech. “And, you know, I started out as a paper boy, y’all. I didn’t know I was going to be here. Started out as a paper boy at 12. And then I was going to be an NFL football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers.” From humble beginnings to an illustrious music career, Diddy “can’t stop, won’t stop” any time soon. In fact, his upcoming album, titled The Love Album: Off the Grid, is set to drop this Friday, September 15th. The project boasts an impressive lineup of guest artists, including Busta Rhymes, Dawn Richard, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, the Weeknd, and several others.
As you can see above, the features are plentiful. There is only one song without a featured artist, which would be notable for any album but especially for a project of this length.
Diddy has teased some featured artists more than others. On August 30, Diddy confirmed that “Another One Of Me” will be The Weeknd’s final collaboration of his career. For weeks, Diddy has teased clips of Justin Bieber in the studio, promising that “R&Bieber is back” and explaining why “Moments” is a full-circle moment for them.
Diddy has not explicitly confirmed the album’s cover art. He’s posted loads of red-themed imagery, but one image of a diminutive Diddy in a red grid is the presumed cover.
Singles
Diddy has not released any singles, as of the time of this writing. Instead, he has gone all-in on teasing tracks with the behind-the-scenes videos, as we’ve already covered above.
Tour
A tour in support of The Love Album: Off The Grid has not yet been announced, as of the time of this writing. However, the 2023 VMAs on Tuesday (September 12) could serve as an ideal platform to reveal a single, tour plans, or both.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Born on January 11, 1971, in The Bronx, New York City, Mary J. Blige’s story began amid the powerful echoes of family, love, and music. With a mother who was a nurse and a jazz musician father, the rhythm was in her veins from the beginning. Yet, it was not a golden path. It was a road filled with obstacles and trials.
Her breakthrough came when an amateur recording went to Uptown Records, leading to her signing at 18. With the release of her debut album, What’s the 411?, Mary J. Blige didn’t just arrive on the scene; she exploded onto it. It was the beginning of a career that would see her amass a fortune of $22 million in 2023, according to CAknowledge.
Melodies, Awards,& More
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 14: Mary J Blige as Special Guest Judge for Strength of a Woman’s “Purpose Ball: Bridging the Gap” in Partnership with Mary J. Blige, Pepsi, and Live Nation Urban at The Bank on May 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit)
Blige’s voice was more than just a beautiful instrument; it was a siren call to those who understood pain, love, and the spaces between. Albums like My Life and Share My World were anthems for the heart. Her collaborations with the likes of George Michael and Elton John were not merely duets; they were musical conversations.
Moreover, with nine Grammy Awards and over 80 million records sold, Blige’s trophy cabinet is as filled as her calendar. Her role in the Netflix film Mudbound earned her Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. A career that began with a demo tape was now gracing the silver screen. Not bad for a girl from The Bronx.
More Than A Diva’s Diary: Personal Life & Highlights
Mary J Blige in her dressing room, backstage at a TV show, London, circa 2001. (Photo by David Tonge/Getty Images)
Mary J. Blige’s life was never just about the music. Her marriage to Kendu Isaacs and the subsequent public divorce revealed a woman unafraid to share her truth. Her battles with addiction and depression were fought not just in private but through her songs, resonating with those who walked similar paths. Blige’s story is a testament to resilience, a survivor, an icon, and a woman who understood her worth. Her interviews and candid confessions reveal not a star but a human being who learned to wear her scars as badges of honor.
Business, Beats, & Benevolence
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – JULY 29: Mary J. Blige makes a surprise meet and greet promoting Sun Goddess Wines at BevMo! on July 29, 2023 in Walnut Creek, California. (Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for Sun Goddess Wines)
Mary J. Blige’s business acumen is as sharp as her vocal range. With her own record label, Matriarch Records, and acting roles in shows like The Umbrella Academy, she’s proven that her talents aren’t limited to the recording studio. Further, her philanthropy, focusing on women’s rights and poverty alleviation, reveals the heart beneath the celebrity. Through the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN), she’s championing causes reflecting her journey, battles, and triumphs.
Conclusion
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Mary J. Blige’s net worth of $22 million in 2023 is not just a number; it’s a symphony of success, perseverance, and unbreakable will. From the streets of The Bronx to the Grammy stage, her journey is a song that continues to inspire, uplift, and remind us that the Queen of Hip Hop Soul reigns through her music and indomitable spirit. Her story isn’t just about hits and awards; it’s about a woman who took her life, her love, and her loss, and turned them into a melody that will echo through time. That’s not just talent; that’s Mary J. Blige.
Beyoncé, Rihanna, JT, and more music powerhouses are making waves in the industry. From Riri filing a trademark for a new lip balm to Queen Bey’s collaboration with Tiffany & Co., these artists continue to amaze their fans. SOHH, here are the latest updates on these talented musicians. Beyoncé Teams Up With Tiffany & Co. […]
