roots picnic

The Roots Picnic concluded on Sunday, June 1, and social media was inundated with live accounts from attendees on the ground, who pointed out several issues that dampened the spirit of the large gathering. Hip-Hop Wired was at this year’s Roots Picnic, and we too experienced some of those well-reported issues, but we can say that the second half was an improvement.

The Roots Picnic was held at The Mann Center in Fairmount Park, kicking off on Saturday, March 31. Upon approaching the venue at around 1:30 PM local time, the gate attendants appeared to have issues controlling the crowd. We spoke with some patrons who said they had been standing for more than an hour without receiving any updates from the staff working the lines.

One man, who would only give his first name, T.C., said that he was in line for more than two hours and was visibly upset at the lack of communication from the festival organizers. Another visitor, who did not want to give their name, did state that they drove four hours from Virginia Beach to attend and were told at several times that the lines would move, but that they remained in the line for well over two hours.

Along with the staggered entry times for the general admission, GA+, and VIP tiers, the parking attendants for The Mann didn’t communicate instructions well, very few staff members knew where certain entry points were, and even the police officers on the scene appeared overwhelmed. The parking, while free and plentiful, involved having to park in muddy fields with pools of water, so deep that a few cars were stuck and had to be towed.

After an unceremonious entry through the media gate, we managed to find our way to the makeshift media center atop a large hill, a nightmare for anyone with mobility issues. The media center lounge was an open-air facility that was thankfully covered from most of the wetter elements but not sounds from a nearby covered amphitheater, rendering interviews an almost moot point.

Hip-Hop Wired managed to snag an interview with rising young star Laila! a day ahead of her scheduled set at the aforementioned media tent. However, unlike the covered VIP and artist lounge, the media tent had no WiFi, no windows to keep background voices out, and didn’t shield us properly from the rainy winds. Laiali! was gracious despite the experience and shared with us that this was only her first festival after rocking Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Festival last year.

Laila!, who is the daughter of rapper Yasiin Bey, doesn’t dabble in the sample-based, jazz-inflected worlds of her father. Instead, she’s very much a young woman who is a product of her generation. Her breakout hit, “Not My Problem,” exploded on social media and led to her strong debut album, Gap Year!

“A lot of people don’t know this, but I do all my own beats in my bedroom, everything is all me,” Laila! said with confidence. She added, “I learned out of necessity instead of waiting on someone else to work with, and I know what I sound the best over.”

Laila! said she’s ready to produce for others, such as Tyler, The Creator, and cited Brandy as an inspiration.

“Brandy’s voice, her lyrics, just everything about her is so great,” Laila! explained. “She’s one of my favorites.”

Hip-Hop Wired also spoke with the organizers of the Dear Summer Festival, a multi-city experience that encompasses music, culture, community, and the power of gathering. Founded in 2011 by Virginia State University and Delaware State University alums, Dear Summer started as a barbecue party in Harlem, and has since expanded into a touring operation with upcoming stops in New York, where it all began, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Houston.

Co-founder Shareef Moore shared the larger vision of Dear Summer and what the grouping of minds behind the event hopes to achieve.

“We started this venture in the spirit of backyard barbecues, house parties, and a celebration of culture,” Moore said. “From 2011 to now, we’ve seen the power of our events and how people walk away from the experience and make new connections in their communities, which is truly at the heart of Dear Summer.”

Fellow co-founder Andrew Robatham added, “We’re all HBCU grads, and that is front and center of what makes Dear Summer work. We’re taking it back and expanding the party and gathering concept into something people can feel a part of and remain proud of. We’re trying to create lasting memories, and we can’t thank the Roots Picnic for letting us rock.”

We incorrectly framed Dear Summer as a day party during our chat, which Moore stressed limits the scope of what the festival is and what they hope it expands to as the years roll on.

“Calling it a day party doesn’t capture what Dear Summer is, and we’re not comfortable being pigeonholed. The gathering, the festival, starts in the day, but rolls well into the night. It’s a full experience, not just a party,” Moore concluded.

Credit should be given to some of the brand activations, including McDonald’s, SKYN, Bailey’s, Progressive, Patron, and Toyota, among others. However, fans complained of long lines to obtain free swag and food, and crowd control, along with supply, was found to be lacking.

Delays in the set times, both Saturday and Sunday, allowed sounds to bleed into the other across the three major stages and an activation station. That said, we took in GloRilla’s crowd-pleasing set. Jeezy brought the Snowman vibes to the stage, and strong sets from Tems, Kur, and headliners Maxwell and Latto.

On Sunday, the weather cooperated, but the grounds and security within were still out of order. Delays in set times moved everything an hour later, which led to us missing some performances. We did get to see the always stellar J. Period Live Mixtape segment with Black Thought, who was joined by The Clipse, a surprise for many, and 2 Chainz, all of whom delivered.

Go-Go legends Backyard Band rocked the Mann Stage, which was packed to capacity, and were joined by CeeLo Green, who was in and out. Surprisingly, the Philadelphia crowd was quite familiar with the band’s well-rehearsed Go-Go routines. The Roots took the stage next and celebrated 30 years of their second album and major label debut, Do You Want More ?!!!??!. Black Thought, pulling double duty for the day, was in top form and joined by Rahzel, poet Ursula Rucker, and Dice Raw during the set.

Lenny Kravitz brought his familiar soulful rock vibes to the Fairmount Park Stage, which was followed by Funk Flex, and the festival was closed out by hometown hero, Meek Mill.

In all, the lack of organization, delays, and accommodations for media professionals to perform their work was not ideal. Further, the lack of communication and assistance from organizers was also troubling. Hopefully, 2026 improves on the several mistakes made this past weekend.

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Photo: Getty

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