Rock The Bells has returned! The long-running hip-hop festival, which originally focused on legacy and underground rap acts, was basically defunct for the past ten years. However, that was until the rapper whose song the festival is named after revived the festival last year. The man born Todd Smith revealed the full lineup for the 2023 festival today with a trailer reproducing scenes from headliner Queen Latifah’s 1996 film debut Set It Off (this is a trend), showing the only thing that changed is the coast (the original Rock The Bells took place in California, and so featured more West Coast artists).
The lineup for this year’s festival (“don’t call it a comeback”) includes Big Daddy Kane, Boot Camp Clik, De La Soul, Fabolous, Ludacris, MC Lyte, MC Sha Rock, Method Man & Redman, Monie Love, Rakim, Roxanne Shanté, Salt-n-Pepa, Slick Rick, Swizz Beatz and friends, The Cold Crush Brothers, and Yo-Yo. In addition, the festival will feature a tribute to the late Sean Price by the members of Boot Camp Clik, including his widow Bernadette Price, as well as a set honoring the pioneering women of hip-hop who are often ignored.
The 2023 Rock The Bells Festival will take place on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. You can get more information here.
Liv Nation Urban has announced a once-in-a-lifetime touring experience and celebration of hip-hop culture. Rock The Bells and Live Nation Urban The Kennedy Center Honoree, two-time Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, and Hip-Hop Icon LL COOL J as the headlining act at The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live.
For the first time in 30 years, LL COOL J will headline an arena tour with this historic tour. The lineup for this tour was chosen by LL COOL J himself, living true to the phrase F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy).
All events will feature collaborative live performances with renowned Grammy Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the famous DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip, building on their incredible performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. The evening will be a continual musical mix up with artist performances intertwined into one continuous musical set, contrary to the typical “opening act – headliner” style, supported by The Roots. Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, and more are among the legendary performers on the lineup in some cities.
“I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years. It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever,” LL COOl J says of the tour. “Get ready for some non stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”
The F.O.R.C.E. Live begins its journey on June 25 at Boston, Massachusetts’ TD Garden, stops in Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center on June 27, travels to arenas throughout the United States and Canada, and concludes on September 3 in Los Angeles, California’s Kia Forum.
Verizon will offer customers an exclusive presale for the tour in the U.S. through Verizon Up. Customers will have access to purchase presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, April 25th at 12PM local time through Thursday, April 27th at 10PM local time. For more details visit Verizon Up.
Citi is the official card of the tour. Citi cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, April 25th at 12PM local time through Thursday, April 27th at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
On Thursday, April 27th between 10AM-10PM local time, fans may purchase tickets through either the Live Nation presale, Ticketmaster presale, or local venue and radio presales. General on-sale kicks off Friday, April 28th at 10AM local time.
TOUR DATES
6/25 Boston, MA TD Garden
6/27 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
6/28 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
6/29 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
7/1 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena
7/2 Washington, DC Capital One Arena
7/4 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
7/6 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
LL Cool J has announced that his Rock The Bells Festival is returning this summer to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. The legendary rapper confirmed the details in a pair of Instagram posts over the weekend.
“I wanted to tell you personally [that on] Saturday, August 5th, Rock The Bells Festival is back,” LL Cool J said in a video on Instagram. He then referenced the opening lyrics to his 1990 smash hit “Mama Said Knock You Out.” He joked, “Well, you can’t call it a comeback.”
LL Cool J At Rock The Bells 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 06: LL Cool J attends Rock The Bells at Forest Hills Stadium on August 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
In another post, he confirmed that the festival will be returning to Forest Hills, Queens. “It’s truly an honor to bring the Rock The Bells Festival to Forest Hills, Queens for a second year. Line up announcement coming soon. We’re celebrating 50 years baby! Trust your man. You should get your tickets now. Link in bio. #RockTheBellsFestival #RockTheBells #RTB50,” he wrote in the caption. He also revealed that tickets are available now, but didn’t provide which artists will be featured on the lineup. More information can be found here.
Ahead of last year’s festival, LL Cool J explained that he launched the festival in an effort to “show love” to the community. “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 COOL J said in a statement at the time. “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.” He first launched Rock The Bells back in 2018. The name is a reference to his 1985 hit song of the same title.
LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells just announced the lineup for their upcoming hip-hop experience cruise. Moreover, the global platform dedicated to hip-hop culture partnered with Sixthman, known in the industry for their on-seas experiences. While the lineup is incredibly extensive, performances won’t be all that patrons have to look forward to from November 13th to 17th this year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 06: Rick Ross attends Rock The Bells at Forest Hills Stadium on August 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Furthermore, the lineup includes many legends of the game, plus some names who still engage actively with it. Some are Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Big Boi, MC Lyte, Ghostface Killah, Big Daddy Kane, Too $hort, and Slick Rick. Also included are DJ Jazzy Jeff, Trina & Trick Daddy, Just Blaze, Pete Rock, EPMD, Bun B, and many more. Moreover, Roxanne Shanté and Torae will host, with a Kid Capri-led pool deck party series.
“How could I not Rock the Boat with the Goat?” Shanté stated. “LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells keep the culture afloat. Please believe it.” Furthermore, Too $hort added “Rock The Bells is Hip-Hop History, and they’re working to MAKE history!”
The sold-out Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience lineup is here! We’re bringing the celebration of Hip-Hop turning 50 to the high seas with @SXMLiveLoud & bringing some of the greatest DJs, MCs, & producers with us. Visit https://t.co/W5Gi4ShOfe to join the waitlist pic.twitter.com/bR5ojA21sz
Unfortunately, though, tickets for the cruise experience already sold out. Still, not all hope is lost if you didn’t snag your reservation. Moreover, fans can go to rockthebellscruise.com and sign up for a waiting list to wait for rooms as they become available.
“See, that’s the difference between the Rock The Bells Festival and any other festivals,” Shanté told us about Rock The Bells Festival last year. “Most festivals are thrown together by people who, you know, they pick some hot artists, but for us, this is more than that—this is a family reunion, and we’re looking so forward to having the family come together, especially after the pandemic. So, being able to do this…phenomenal. I tell everybody, ‘This right here, if you have ever felt that you were not a part of Hip Hop history, then this is your chance to be a part of Hip Hop history.’”
Still, what do you think of the lineup for the Rock The Bells cruise? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, check back in with HNHH for the most exciting upcoming live experiences in hip-hop.
Rock The Bells (RTB), the global platform dedicated to elevating Hip-Hop culture from its roots to the modern day, announced the lineup for “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” in partnership with Sixthman, the industry leader in unforgettable music and lifestyle festivals at sea.
The lineup features Hip-Hop’s most notable icons, including Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Big Boi, DJ Jazzy Jeff, MC Lyte, Ghostface Killah, Trina & Trick Daddy, Just Blaze, Big Daddy Kane, Too $hort, Slick Rick, DJ Spinderella, Mannie Fresh, Pete Rock, DJ Quik, Rah Digga, EPMD, Bun B, Bahamadia, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Scratch, The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ EPPS, DJ Nina 9, Grandmaster Dee, Technician The DJ, and DJ Critical Hype. Hosted byRoxanne Shanté&Torae, attendees will also experience a pool deck party series presented by world-renowned party rockerKid Capri.
Commenting on the cruise, legendary Hip-Hop artist and host Roxanne stated: “How could I not Rock the Boat with the Goat? LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells keep the culture afloat. Please believe it.” Too $hort added, “Rock The Bells is Hip-Hop History, and they’re working to MAKE history!”
While the cruise is “sold out,” fans can still go to the website rockthebellscruise.com to sign up for the waiting list, where rooms are offered as they become available.
The sold-out Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience lineup is here! We’re bringing the celebration of Hip-Hop turning 50 to the high seas with @SXMLiveLoud & bringing some of the greatest DJs, MCs, & producers with us. Visit https://t.co/W5Gi4ShOfe to join the waitlist pic.twitter.com/bR5ojA21sz
The first installment of a new series called Classic Record Reflection is presented by Rock The Bells. The definitive look back at vintage Hip-Hop records and the musicians that created them is provided by Classic Record Reflection.
The first of an all-new three-part interview series features legendary rapper Scarface as he discusses the 20th anniversary of the release of “The Fix” on August 6, 2002, the creation of the critically acclaimed album, and his collaboration with Jay-Z, Nas, Beanie Sigel, and Faith Evans, Kanye West, The Neptunes, Nottz, and T-Mix.
In the three episodes, Scarface does a “Lyrical Deep Dive,” which details his writing process. “The Industry,” discusses the process of creating the album, and “In The Booth” chronicles everything from the budget to the art of the record.
For the 2022 Rock The Bells Festival, LL COOL J performed on August 6 in his native Queens, New York, alongside some of hip-hop’s most renowned and influential MCs, including Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Fat Joe & Remy Ma, Lil’ Kim, Trina, N.O.R.E. The Diplomats, Scarface Jadakiss, and more.
The day-long celebration of hip-hop culture attracted over 13,000 attendees to a sold out Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. Other highlights included the first-ever all-hip-hop food court experience, live SiriusXM broadcasts, graffiti displays, and breakdancing performances.
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As Speaker of the NYC Council Adrienne Adams gave the rap legend a proclamation honoring his influence and contribution to the culture, LL COOL J was also given a key to the city during the event.
The first ever all-Hip-Hop food court experience, Bun B’s Trill Mealz, made its debut. It featured a variety of food and beverage vendors from legendary Hip-Hop artists, including Nas’ Sweet Chick, E-40’s Goon with the Spoon, Jadakiss & Styles P’s Juices for Life, Ghostface Killah’s Killah Koffee, Mia X’s Team Whip Them Pots, and Bun B In remembrance of the momentous occasion, the Empire State Building illuminated the evening sky in Cyan Blue (RTB’s official color). A portion of the event’s sales was donated to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum in The Bronx. Interactive sponsor activations and photo ops were offered to fans by Corona, Monster Energy, P&G, Gilette, Salesforce, and other brands.
You can see images, courtesy of Getty, from the event below.
LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells announced the food lineup for their Rock The Bells Festival, which will feature dishes from hip-hop-inspired eateries all throughout the country. Dubbed The Trill Mealz Food Court, and curated by Hip Hop legend Bun B, this will be the first-ever Hip-Hop food court experience.
The Trill Mealz Food Court will feature a variety of food and beverage vendors from legendary hip-hop artists like Nas, E-40, Jadakiss, Styles P, Ghostface Killah, Mia X, and Bun B as well as a few delectable local restaurants. On Saturday, August 6, 2022, at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York, all fans attending the Rock The Bells Festival will have access to the complete Trill Mealz Food Court.
The Trill Mealz Food Court lineup coming to Queens includes Bun B’s Trill Burgers, Nas’s Sweet Chick, Mia X’s Team Whip Them Pots, E-40’s Goon With The Spoon, Jadakiss & Styles P’s Juice for Life, Ghostface Killah’s Killah Koffee.
“Food and Hip-Hop are both forms of entertainment and self expression,” said LL COOL J. “Food has always been a theme within Hip-Hop and are uniquely connected. Hosting the Trill Mealz Food Courtat the Rock The Bells Festival at Hip-Hop’s birthplace of New York City, allows us to really connect with the community and create a fully immersive way to experience Hip-Hop.”
“For the first time ever, I will be curating a hip-hop food court at Rock The Bells Festival. Something that has never happened anywhere in the face of the world,” says Bun B. “For me it’s the food now. I still make music. I still perform, but this is my passion and it still keeps me in the culture.”
Visit www.rockthebells.com/festival to purchase tickets. The Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the Bronx, whose goal is to recognize and preserve the individuals, artifacts, and stories that resound from 1973 to the present, will receive a portion of each ticket sale donation made by Rock The Bells.
Rock the Bells, the global lifestyle brand dedicated to Hip-Hop created byLL COOL J, has officially launched its highly anticipated Drip Collection.
The Rock The Bells x Roots Varsity jacket, as well as sweatpants, a hoodie, and a t-shirt, are all part of the Drip Collection. This series is priced between $628 and $95. The purpose of this drop is to continue to enhance streetwear in a way that pays homage to hip-hop’s roots.
You can see the collection below and purchase here.
L.L. Cool J’s Rock the Bells is set to make a live event return. The Hip-Hop brand will take over Queens, New York, this summer. The festival will be headlined by L.L., Ice Cube, and Rick Ross.
Roxanne Shante will host the Rock the Bells Festival at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens.
Additional artists named for the festival include Fat Joe and Remy Ma, Jadakiss, N.O.R.E.., Trina, Digable Planets, Lil Kim, Scarface, The diplomats, and more.
“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,” saidL.L.L Cool J. “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.”
Pre-sale tickets are on sale now, and regular admission tickets go on sale Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m.E.TT. Take a look at the lineup and festival promo below.
