Roots Picnic celebrates local acts alongside headliners JAŸ-Z and Erykah Badu at Belmont Plateau

Belmont Plateau was the center of the music world this past weekend as people flocked to the 18th annual Roots Picnic. For nearly the past two decades, co-founders of Philly’s legendary hip-hop group The Roots Questlove and Black Thought have made their hometown the place to be to kick off summer for those who love music.

Following last year’s rainy weekend, crowds were treated to perfect weather both days, allowing the music, community, and culture at the heart of the festival to take center stage.

Headlined by JAŸ-Z and Erykah Badu, the two-day event featured a lineup that balanced hip-hop legends, R&B favorites, and emerging talent. While JAŸ-Z’s Saturday night set certainly delivered one of the weekend’s most talked-about moments, the spirit of Roots Picnic extended beyond its headliners.

DJ Diamond Kutz and DJ Aktive kept the crowd vibing between sets for both stages, while DJ Na$h held it down at the AT&T Blue Room.

Philadelphia icon DJ Jazzy Jeff was another standout, delivering sets that showcased exactly why he’s a local legend. His presence felt particularly fitting given the festival’s new home — the music video for DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s hit “Summertime” was filmed at Belmont Plateau, adding another layer of Philadelphia music history to the weekend.

Saturday started off with R&B singer Beano French stepping on the AT&T Stage to win the crowd over with songs from his most recent EP Love On Purpose and fan favorites like “Monday Morning.” “Truthfully I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. I truly don’t understand what’s happening as how fast it’s happening,” French said. “I’m grateful for sure.”

At the Plateau Stage, soul singer Bilal entertained his hometown with his classic song “Soul Sister,” while DC’s Kenny B and Noochie came through with a set honoring five decades of go-go music that had everyone moving as if they were born and raised in the District of Columbia.

British singer-songwriter Sasha Keable was another gem for those who got to the grounds early, playing her first show in Philadelphia. Her rich, powerful vocals were a treat, and it’s safe to say Philly will be waiting for her return.

Back at the AT&T stage, Destin Conrad served up some jazz as if they just turned on WRTI. South Jersey’s own Tone Stith was vibing to songs like “FYM” and his first No. 1 Billboard single “Fly,” too. He held his own considering the fact that he was performing while legendary hip-hop group De La Soul got the crowd hyped with their classics “Me Myself and I” and “Buddy.”

At times, music from both stages clashed, which was more noticeable during Brandy’s set. While she performed, Jermanie Dupri and friends rocking out to his hip-hop classics at the Plateau Stage bled into her set. That didn’t stop either crowd from enjoying themselves, especially with Brandy bringing out Yo-Yo and Monica while Dupri had Da Brat and Bow Wow on stage. Folks on one side heard “Full Moon,” while the other side was moving to hip-hop bangers like “Money Ain’t A Thang.”

Later that night everyone went to AT&T Stage to catch JAŸ-Z. When it was time for the hip-hop icon to appear in front of the West Philly crowd, many were shocked to see he combed out his locks into a ‘fro. His first song was “Hovi Baby,” which got the crowd hyped to hear slick-talking bravado from one of the greatest rappers of all time. That led to him to an a cappella freestyle that addressed his former friends — like Dame Dash, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, and Drake — who have decided to speak on his name publicly as if he was their foe.

The freestyle then led to “U Don’t Know” which had everyone screaming lines like, “I am a hustler, baby, I’ll sell water to a whale!” His transitions between songs were the MVP of the night, as he went from “the best rapper alive” line from “Dirt Off Your Shoulders” right into “I Know,” and including the verse from “Marcy Me” during “Where I’m From.”

JAŸ-Z also brought out hometown soul singers Bilal and Jazmine Sullivan to help him perform classics like “No Church in The Wild” and “Feelin It.” Seeing a majority of hip-hop collective State Property on stage with JAŸ-Z, more specifically Beanie Sigel, warmed the crowd’s heart, as well.

It’s been some time since the two shared a stage together, upon hearing “R-O-C Stop” during “You, Me, Him, and Her” and saw the broad street bully on stage, the crowd lost their minds. To follow that up, Freeway, Peedi Crack, and Young Gunz performed Philly classics like “Roc The Mic,” “Gotta Have It,” and “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.” Two Philly anthems were performed that night: first was Meek Mill coming through to perform the classic “Dreams and Nightmares Intro,” and then “What We Do is Wrong.” Seeing Freeway, JAŸ-Z, and Sigel perform this heartfelt gritty classic live for the first time was the real highlight of the night. 

Sunday continued the celebration of local talent with a set from West Philadelphia’s Amir Ali early in the day, who shouted out Philly throughout his performance and played tracks from his album Welcome to High Street with assistance from LIHTZ and saxophonist Imani Lauren. Moments of local pride occurred repeatedly across the weekend, reinforcing the festival’s longstanding role as a showcase for Philadelphia’s music and arts community.

Corrine Bailey Rae celebrated the 20th anniversary of her critically acclaimed debut self-titled album at the Plateau Stage while the young London crooner KWN had all people screaming near the AT&T Stage as soon as the music started.

A Roots Picnic isn’t a Roots Picnic without the J.Period & Black Thought Mixtape. This year the mixtape featured Buffalo’s Conway the Machine, Brooklyn legend Big Daddy Kane, and DC champion Wale performing their own songs while Black Thought added a verse to them. Although the set took place earlier in the day, the crowd responded enthusiastically as the performers traded verses and celebrated multiple decades of rap excellence.

Adam Blackstone brought a different energy to the Plateau Stage by celebrating the soundtrack to 1995’s Waiting to Exhale. Featuring a rotating cast of guest performers — Chante Moore, Melanie Fiona, India Shawn, Ledisi, GoGo Morrow, Andra Day, Tamar Braxton, and Yolanda Adams — the set paid homage to one of R&B’s most beloved collections of songs. As performers revisited classics originally recorded by Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Brandy, and Mary J. Blige, Blackstone skillfully balanced nostalgia with fresh interpretations. The result was a soulful, crowd-pleasing performance that provided the perfect soundtrack as the afternoon eased into evening.

Back on the AT&T Stage, Kehlani made her Roots Picnic return and delivered one of the festival’s most anticipated performances, playing songs from her recently released self-titled album. She had the crowd feeling like they were at karaoke singing bangers from the record, including her Grammy Award-winning single “Folded.” Her choreography and dancers only added to the moment, with fans moving and singing along with her.

The festival’s closing stretch belonged to Erykah Badu. But shifted set times forced the crowd to make some difficult decisions, including choosing between catching T.I. close out the Plateau Stage and securing a spot for Badu’s performance.

T.I. had Philly turnt up with timeless trap anthems such as “What You Know,” and his most recent banger “Let ‘Em Know!”

Commanding the stage with her signature blend of soul, jazz, and neo-soul, Badu captivated the hillside and brought the weekend to a memorable close. The southern queen came out dressed like George Clinton from Parliament, which makes sense given her fluency in funk. She talked about how she recorded her debut album Baduizm right here in Philly and that out of the cities she’s been to, Philly has the most grass. She also mentioned how she and hip-hop producer Alchemist were still working on their joint album.

Badu had the crowd feeling peaceful and full of bliss all night long performing fan favorite songs of hers, including the classic “You Got Me,” featuring Black Thought.