Best of Rolling Loud NYC 2019!
As quick as it came, Queens has just said goodbye to the first ever Rolling Loud festival in New York City. The experience was unlike anything the city had ever had before, as thousands of people poured in for a massively talented line up of big name headliners and local icons. While the lines were long and the subway ride back home was horrible, the first ever Rolling Loud NYC was two nights of pretty successful shows. Check out the best moments from the Big Apple’s big night.
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Production was at an all-time best.
With over 30 artists performing each day, you can’t just have someone on stage and call it day. It’s unbelievable, but the production of Travis Scott, who we all know had an amazing rollercoaster going on during his own Astroworld tour, was matched by almost all artists. Each show had fantastic visuals to accompany such a wide range of hip hop and rap styles- from Travis’s trippy, acid-trip vibe lights to $uicideBoy$’ disturbing and dark, horror-movie like set. Even the more disappointing sets (I’m looking at you, Young Thug) still had stunning lights and fireworks to keep audiences in the mood to rage.
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New York’s local talent showed up and showed out.
The city’s hardcore rappers did their thing; Fivio Foreign accompanied DJ Five Venoms and JuiceWorld’s sets, getting the crowd crazy with underground hit “Big Drip”. A Boogie with da Hoodie made thousands scream ‘yerr’ all together in the most New York moment ever. “Mo Bamba” played nearly 50 times the whole weekend and each time, the crowd caused a mini earthquake from such a huge mosh pit. Nobody got more love from the crowd than Young M.A. though- she had the crowd lit, screaming out lyrics so loud, Young M.A. didn’t even have to rap half the time. Didn’t stop her from putting on a great show, complete with a little complementary twerk contest.
Even banning some artists didn’t stop the love.
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NYPD recommending Rolling Loud to ban artists Pop Smoke, Casanova, Don Q, Sheff G and 22GZ from performing on grounds of potentially inciting violence was a shock move that came out of nowhere. While the city was irritated that such loved artists wouldn’t get the chance to perform, it didn’t stop some artists from showing them love and appreciation. LA rapper YG took some time from his own set to give props to the banned rappers; he shared that it wasn’t fair that after all their hard work in getting out of the streets, they were being punished, but at least their music would live on as their legacy.
Rap and mosh pits: a love story.
Mosh pits aren’t just a thing for scream and punk music. While artists like Rico Nasty have always traditionally encouraged fans to rage at her shows (she’s got a whole song about it!), even more mainstream artists were quick to hop on to the thrilling and terrifying experience that is jumping into a mosh pit. Yeah, it was a ton of sweaty high schoolers opening up the crowd, but it was hard not to get into the mood to push, swing and jump when Chief Keef’s “Faneto” is playing. Big props to artists like Da Baby, A Boogie with da Hoodie and Lil Tecca for encouraging their fans to go absolutely wild- the bruises were worth it.
Even old school talent got tons of love too.
Because who doesn’t love a little Jim Jones bringing back Dipset in spirit, one time for the one time? Rolling Loud brought back some New York icons from the beginning of New York’s, having Jim Jones bring his crew up on the stage Sunday night and Fat Joe close on Saturday night. We can’t go on about New York rap icons without mentioning Wu-Tang Clan, despite missing frontman RZA. They kept the show rolling with hits like “Protect Ya Neck”, reminding us just why NY rap really is all that.
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