PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Roots Picnic is back again this year on June 2-4. Headlining the annual hip-hop and R&B festival will be Lauryn Hill, celebrating the 25th anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” Diddy with The Roots, and Lil Uzi Vert. And this year, the festival kicks off with a stand-up performance from Dave Chappelle.
Laureen Rosa says the Picnic has been on her to-do list for years, but she has never actually gone. However, after seeing the lineup, announced on Monday, she said she is sold.
“I don’t know. Lauryn Hill is there, so I’m not really missing anyone. That’s really all I need,” said Rosa.
Sydney from South Philly said she’ll be going to the Roots Picnic this year because the line up is “fire.”
“It’s gonna be lit. I can’t wait to go,” she said. “Honestly, Lauryn Hill took me out. I think that took me out.”
The big surprise this year is the addition of a stand-up comedy show and concert. There will be two separately ticketed events: Dave Chappelle and the Roots at Wells Fargo Center on June 2 (ticket information) and The Roots Picnic at the Mann at Fairmount Park on June 3 and 4 (ticket information).
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Local musician Ikechi Onyenaka says Dave Chappelle is a great addition, but this year the concert lineup is something special for him because the line up will be thick with Philly-born favorites like rappers Eve and Lil Uzi Vert.
“My sister just sent me the line-up. I saw some of those names. I’m pretty excited,” Onyenaka said. “A lot of people on there, especially Philly, got Freeway coming, Yussef Dayes. It’s like a homecoming, pretty much.”
Also on the bill: Philly bassist and bandleader Adam Blackstone with Coco Jones and Mary Mary, Philly’s own Fridayy, DJ Drama and Kindred the Family Soul.
This year, Onyenaka said, among the festival’s wide range of performers, one name stood out to him in particular.
“Mike Phillips for sure,” he said. “I’m a saxophonist, so it’s actually really cool that he’s coming back to Philly.”
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Other artists making an appearance include Ari Lennox, City Girls, Maverick City, Lucky Daye, Syd, GloRilla, a State Property reunion, and a “live mixtape” from Black Thought featuring Busta Rhymes and Eve.
This year’s Picnic also includes a “podcast stage,” featuring Charlamagne Tha God, Off the Record with DJ Akademiks, Don’t Call Me White Girl, Lip Service with Angela Yee, People’s Party with Talib Kweli, and Questlove Supreme.
Also performing: Roy Ayers, the Isley Brothers and Soulquarians — the all-star collective that turned out experimental Black musicians including Questlove and Talib Kweli, as well as Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Common.
A fan club presale begins on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 12 p.m. ET, with a general on-sale to follow on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET through therootspicnic.com.