Piedmont Park was nothing short of spectacular as the city of Atlanta ushered in its annual ONE Musicfest. There was an added level of excitement this year as thousands of fans flocked from all over to witness a diverse two-day line up that promised to acknowledge a special ode to Hip-Hop, celebrating its 50th year with artists from both past and present.
The tone was set early from the first day of the festival on Saturday, as concert goers were greeted with a vast array of vendors, delightful bites and drinks, and entertaining activations. There were three stages this year, consisting of the Sprite HH50 Stage, the P&G Stage and the OMF Stage. Performances from Coco Jones, Mega Thee Stallion, Bryson Tiller, Kodak Black and more were absolutely phenomenal, but none could forget the classics like Lil Kim, Fabulous and Jadakiss. Then to cap the night off, the much anticipated legend that is Janet Jackson graced the stage performing all of her iconic hits like “Anytime, Anyplace” and “Control”. Jackson handed everyone perhaps the biggest shock of the night bringing out rapper J.Cole to perform their song “No Sleeep” along with his own songs such as “No Role Modelz”, followed by an appearance by none other than, SoSo Def’s beloved and Atlanta native, Jermain Dupree.
Sunday picked up right where the action left off, featuring performances from Tems, Brent Faiyaz, El Debarge, Smino, Boosie, and others. Perhaps one of the best performances of the day came from the HH50 Stage during the Greg Street set which brought out the likes of Killer Mike, Project Pat, 8Ball & MJG and more! As the night went on, the growing anticipation grew as everyone made their way to the OMF Stage to witness the greatness of Kendrick Lamar. Whether it was your first time seeing him perform, or your 20th, he never ceases to deliver 110% authentic energy and appreciation to his fans. Kendrick was unflappable in his artistry and showmanship, taking command of the stage with alternating backdrops that depicted various moments of his life. He peformed hits like “DNA”, “Humble”, and didn’t forget to include jams all the way back from To Pimp A Butterfly like “Alright”.
The best word to describe this year’s ONE Musicfest is “nostalgic”. So much homage was given in honoring 50 years of Hip-Hop on this magnitude of a stage in Atlanta and fans will never forget this moment in life. It doesn’t matter what shade or background you originate from. Atlanta and ONE Musicfest set the precedent of true unity and proved that all walks of life can peacefully bond over one defining commonality: Music. 2024 shows much promise and anticipation if it can top this year’s festivities!
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Kevin Rawls did an amazing job with this coverage! Photos and article are fuego!