He may have brought the Nets to Brooklyn, but this fall, he's bringing the music to Philly. Jay-Z will headline and curate the first Budweiser Made in America Music Festival in Philadelphia,
The news was to be announced Monday morning but The New York Times beat Hov and Philly's Mayor Michael Nutter to the punch. Set for September 1 and 2, the festival will feature as many as 28 acts spanning a breadth genres such as rock, hip hop and jazz.
Though the lineup has not been announced (or perhaps even set), at least one act seems like a clear shoe-in. The Roots have been a part of Philadelphia's musical texture ever since their 1993 debut album, Organix.
The Jimmy Fallon house band, which of course features Questlove on the drums and Black Thought on the mic, has its own festival that takes place in the Philadelphia summer. The Roots Picnic is slated for June 2 and 3 of this year. That festival is in its fifth year and features an eclectic lineup that includes James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Kid Cudi, rapper Danny Brown, Diplo, St. Vincent and many more.
The Made in America festival will take place at Fairmount Park. Will Jay hit up his Watch the Throne little brother Kanye West and/or ask his wife Beyonce to step on stage with him? Only time will tell.
Though curating may be new for Jay, the rapper is no stranger to festivals. He famously overcame boos and a cranky Noel Gallagher to headline Glastonbury in 2008 with aplomb (Jay started the show by covering Oasis's "Wonderwall" after Gallagher said festival organizers should not have booked a rapper). In late June, Jay will join Rihanna for the BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend, a pre-Olympics celebration in London. He has appeared at a slew of other festivals, including an appearance at Coachella, during which Beyonce served as a surprise guest.
Jay-Z has remained quite busy since welcoming daughter Blue Ivy Carter into the world. Though he admitted the hip hop princess may grow up to be the "worst, spoiled little kid ever," that hasn't stopped him from featuring her on songs . Family friend Questlove gave the baby an iPod with 4,000 tunes selected just for the occasion of her birth.
Tickets for Jay's weekend will go on sale May 23 through Ticketmaster and Live Nation, which an unspecified amount going to charity. Let us know who you think Jay should book in the comments.
