Rappers Busta Rhymes, Too $hort and Scarface will be among the hip-hop favorites performing during LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Festival at Newark’s Prudential Center in June, organizers announced Tuesday.
The Class of 2025: Summer’s Kool concert kicks off June 28 and marks the first time that Rock the Bells, LL Cool J’s three-year-old hip-hop music festival, comes to New Jersey.
The concert is part of the two-week Prudential North to Shore Festival, June 14 to June 29, celebrating music, film, comedy, and tech, with events planned in Asbury Park, Newark, and Atlantic City.
Other featured artists will include:
- Newark’s Remy Ma and Big Daddy Kane
- Redman, Eric B. & Rakim, Plies, Boosie, Fabolous, and Lil’ Mo
- KRS-One, M.O.P., State Property, and Capone-N-Noreaga
- and Al B. Sure, Donell Jones, and Christopher Williams
“Rock The Bells has always been about the elevation, preservation, and innovation of Hip-Hop,” LL Cool J said. “This is more than just a concert. It’s a cultural homecoming.”
David Rodriguez, executive vice president and executive producer for NJPAC, which produces the North to Shore Festival, noted Rock The Bells’ role this year.
“The North to Shore Festival focuses on celebrating diverse voices in music and comedy, with Rock the Bells playing a key role,” he said.
“Additionally, both Rock the Bells and other festival programs help support healthy pantries, an initiative that benefits 700 food banks throughout New Jersey.”
This year’s event sets the stage for a high-energy show featuring hip-hop legends - old and new.
Roxanne Shante will host the event, with music by DJ Kid Capri, and Remy Ma will MC the concert presented in partnership with entertainment company Black Promoters Collective.
During the show, Busta Rhymes and Redman are expected to bring their lively performances to the stage, while Fabolous and Lil’ Mo will showcase the smooth rap and R&B sound of the early 2000s. Remy Ma will perform alongside legendary MCs KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane.
Philadelphia’s State Property will reunite for a special set, while M.O.P. and Capone-N-Noreaga return with their classic street anthems. Coast Contra will represent the next generation of lyricists.
West Coast pioneer Too $hort and Houston’s Scarface will bring their legendary catalogs to the stage. Southern rappers Plies and Boosie will add their raw, energetic style to the night.
For the first time, the festival will feature a tribute to Uptown Records, led by DJ Eddie F. Performers include Al B. Sure, Donell Jones, Christopher Williams, Soul For Real, Jeff Redd, Monifah, Horace Brown, CL Smooth, Father MC, and more — paying homage to a label that helped shape R&B and Hip-Hop in the late 80s and 90s.
“Partnering with LL Cool J and Rock the Bells is about more than music. It’s about honoring Black culture,” said Shelby Joyner, President of the Black Promoters Collective. “This is a cultural movement.”
Tickets go on sale Wednesday at rockthebellsfestival.com.
Stories by Deion Johnson
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