The Best Hip Hop Festivals

From the laidback rhymes of Loyle Carner to the raging, adrenaline-pumping tracks of Carti to the catchy hooks of Little Simz, hip-hop is an incredibly diverse genre. 

Since its humble beginnings in New York in the 70s, hip-hop has evolved, mutated, and spawned many sub-genres, including drill, trap, rage, experimental, alternative, psychedelic, boom bap, and more.

It’s amazing to see all the talent the genre produces. But it’s even better to see these artists live in the flesh, tearing up the stage and hyping crowds up to a level you can’t even imagine.

If you’re keen to be one of those in the mosh pits, here are the best hip-hop festivals in 2024.

 

Wireless Festival

Photo: Wireless Festival / Facebook.com

When: Friday 12th - Sunday 14th July 2024

Where: Finsbury Park in London, England

2024 lineup: Nicki Minaj, Future, 21 Savage, J Hus, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Sean Paul, and more

Wireless is the hip-hop festival in the UK. This mammoth event has its finger firmly on the pulse of hip-hop, R&B, and grime, making it one of the year's highlights in London, and easily one of the best hip-hop festivals in 2024. 

Rocking the English capital for three days, the huge music gathering is known for plastering household names on its lineup posters. 

Wireless never fails to deliver a mind-blowing performance complimented by crowds that are so hyped you’d think someone paid them to go crazy. Although it’s easy to see where their energy comes from with such huge names on the bill. Packed with modern royalty, Wireless is set to go off again this year. 

 

Find more information on Wireless - HERE

 

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Rolling Loud

Photo: Rolling Loud Europe / Facebook.com

When: Friday 5th - Sunday 7th July 2024

Where: Racino in Ebreichsdorf (near Vienna), Austria

2024 lineup: TBA

Okay, so Rolling Loud is so adored, this year, it's going down in California, Miami, and Austria. Since Austria’s closest, we'll be looking at that one.

For ten years now, Rolling Loud has been putting on huge events, including massive hip-hop festivals, with this Austria edition set to feature the best US, British, and European rap acts. Like Wireless, Rolling Loud attracts music fans who fully live the “go hard or go home” motto.

While the Austria edition's lineup hasn't dropped yet, the Cali version has Nicki Minaj, Posty, Future x Metro Boomin, Rae Sremmurd, Suicideboys, Ski Mask, Bryson Tiller, Flo Milli, and more, so if they’re going for that vibe, Austria’s lineup is likely to look similar.

 

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Project 6 Festival

Photo: Project 6 Festival / Facebook.com 

When: Friday 24th May 2024 (bank holiday weekend)

Where: Brockwell Park in London, England

2024 lineup: CASISDEAD, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib (Piñata 10 year anniversary), DRS, Vigro Deep, Katy B, Shy FX, Neffa-T, 4am Kru, Tim Reaper, and more

One of the best festivals in London this year, Project 6 brings a lineup of hip-hop, grime, DnB, house, afrobeats, and dubstep, focusing on the underground names of the genres.

Coming to London’s Brockwell Park to signal the start of a cracking bank holiday weekend, Project 6 is all about showcasing cutting-edge music with heavy bass.

So, if you love underground music of different genres, including hip-hop, check out Project 6 this year. Tickets are pretty cheap, too!

 

Find more information on Project 6 Festival - HERE

 

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Openair Frauenfeld 

Photo: Openair Frauenfeld / Facebook.com

When: Thursday 11th - Saturday 13th July 2024

Where: Grosse Allmend in Frauenfeld in Switzerland

2024 lineup: TBA

Europe’s biggest, wildest hip-hop festival will be back in July this year to welcome around 150,000 hip-hop-loving fans for a weekend of rap excellence. 

The festival has been running since 1985 and has grown exponentially that it now consistently delivers the hardest lineups. If you have a passport and love hip-hop, keep your eye on this one.

We’re still eagerly awaiting the lineup for this year’s bash, but if it’s anything like last year’s, we’ve got nothing to worry about at all. 2023 welcomed stage invasions from Kendrick, Stormzy, Travis, JID, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Glorilla, Latto, Aitch, Central Cee, Metro Boomin, and Wizkid. We told you the lineups don’t miss! 

 

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All Points East

Photo: All Points East / Facebook.com 

When: Saturday 17th August 2024

Where: Victoria Park in London, England

2024 lineup: Loyle Carner, Nas, Ezra Collective, Sainté, Enny, Navy Blue, and more TBA

All Points East has become one of the most notable events on London's festival calendar. Earning widespread plaudits for its diverse lineups, where each day is centred around a different genre/vibe, the festival always provides at least one day for everyone. 

Loyle Carner headlines All Points East on the 17th, returning to his hometown for a London exclusive show, joined by some fantastic hip-hop artists including the legendary Nas, Enny, Sainte, Navy Blue, and jazz favourites Ezra Collective. 

With a lineup like that, this one’s going to be bliss. 

 

Find more information on All Points East - HERE

 

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Dreamville Festival

Photo: Dreamville Festival / Facebook.com

When: Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th April 2024 

Where: Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

2024 lineup: TBA

Dreamville is a record label founded by J. Cole, which has since grown to become a festival, too. 

The Dreamville label has JID, Ari Lennox, Earthgang, Bas, Omen, and more signed to it - which is important to note as the fest is somewhat of a Dreamville Records reunion, meaning at least some of the Dreamville roster will perform each year. 

Cole curates the lineup for the festival, which sees the artists play their biggest hits, old-school throwbacks, and unreleased music - pure heaven for any die-hard Dreamville fans.

2023's edition featured the likes of J. Cole + Drake, Usher, Lil Durk, Ari Lennox, JID, Glorilla, Burna Boy, Wacka Flocka Flame, and more. Word on the grapevine is the fest’s lineup is usually dropped at the end of February each year. Nicki Minaj is said to be among those performing at this year's bash!

 

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Lovers & Friends

When: Saturday May 4th 2024

Where: Las Vegas Festival Grounds in Nevada, USA

2024 lineup: Snoop Dogg, Nas, Lil Wayne (performing Tha Carter III), Mary J Blige, M.I.A, Ludacris, Ja Rule, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Usher (performing Confessions), T-Pain, and more

An unreal lineup for those who have 90s and 00s tracks on repeat to this day, Lovers & Friends returns with another immensely strong crew of artists from the old-school R&B and hip-hop worlds.

The gobsmackingly massive lineup lands in Las Vegas in May for just one day of pure nostalgia. 

Tickets for Lovers & Friends have already sold out, but don’t give up hope yet as they’re toying with the idea of adding a second weekend. 

If you love R&B, why not check out the best R&B festivals?

 

Find more information on Lovers & Friends - HERE

 

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We Out Here Festival

Photo: We Out Here Festival / Facebook.com

When: Thursday 15th - Sunday 18th August 2024

Where: Wimborne St Giles, Dorset in Wimborne, England

2024 lineup: André 3000, Sampha, Black Thought, CASISDEAD, Loose Ends, Sainté, Floating Points, Kate Tempest, and more

While this one has an incredible amount of jazz on offer, We Out Here has plenty more on offer. With a healthy mix of jazz, hip-hop, soul, rhythm and blues, DnB, house, and more with a very strong DJ lineup this year, 2024 sees the festival’s widest-spanning lineup to date.

Tap the image above or the festival name to see the full lineup - it’s definitely worth it. And the fest doesn’t stop at incredible music. There are also complimentary wellness sessions and workshops available as well as roller skate hire if you fancy a go on the rink. 

Determined to make this year’s edition the best yet, the festival has announced commitments to improve family camping, improve sound quality, reduce queues at train shuttles, improve the toilets, and make it easier to find friends and family on site. 

In a nutshell, this is a festival that listens to feedback and actively works to improve the experience for its attendees. It’s the whole package! 

Find more brilliant jazz festivals going down this year. 

 

Find more information on We Out Here - HERE

 

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Afro Nation Portugal

Photo: Afro Nation / Facebook.com

When: Wednesday 26th - Friday 28th June 2024

Where: Praia Da Rocha The Algarve in Portimão, Portugal

2024 lineup: Nicki Minaj, Rema, Asake, J Hus, Ninho, Dadju & Tayc, Major League DJz, Uncle Waffles, and more

Sun, sea, afrobeats, hip-hop, dancehall, amapiano, afro house, and R&B. Is this a festival or heaven? 

Sure, Afro Nation is predominantly an afrobeats festival - being the world’s biggest celebration of the genre - but we’ve got two huge hip-hop headliners, and there’s a solid crossover with the two genres, so we thought we’d shine a light on it in case that’s your vibe.  

The 18+ festival celebrates banging music but also African culture on the beach, with an average temperature of around 25 degrees. Music is spread across two stages on golden sand with the warm sea in the background. Gorgeous. 

Looking for sunny festivals? Check out the best beach festivals while you’re here! 

 

Find more information on Afro Nation Portugal - HERE

 

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Les Ardentes 

Photo: FESTIVAL LES ARDENTES / Facebook.com

When: Tuesday 11th - Friday 14th June 2024

Where: Rue de l'Arbre Courte-Joie, Rocourt in Belgium

2024 lineup: 21 Savage, Ayra Starr, Doja Cat, Gunna, Nicki Minaj, Central Cee, D-Block Europe, Offset, Sexyy Red, Yeat, DJ Snake, and more

Packed with modern hip-hop royalty, Les Ardentes is looking hot as hell this year. This Belgium festival welcomes a few genres but focuses primarily on hip-hop and its subgenres. 

With so much hip-hop on its lineups, the crowds always bring the energy to match, creating wild scenes every year. Pretty accurate as “ardent” describes something or someone who’s passionate, or burns intensely. 

Last year, the fest had a gaming zone, karaoke, and silent discos. Fingers crossed they bring those back again for 2024!

 

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Big Smoke Festival

Photo: Big Smoke Festival / Instragam.com

When: Saturday 6th July 2024

Where: Crystal Palace Park in London, England

2024 lineup: Skepta, The Streets, Mahalia, JME, Uncle Waffles, K-Trap, Jammer, Syreeta, Loco Dice, and more

Skepta brings his Big Smoke Festival to London for the first time this year having curated a lineup of rap and dance music. 

Skepta’s performance is a UK festival exclusive, and he’ll be joined by Más Tiempo (Skepta and Jammer’s house music project), The Streets, Lancey, Flowdan, Honeyluv, Kitty Amor, and more.

Considering this one’s a London festival with some pretty big names, tickets are pretty affordable, currently sitting at just over £70. 

 

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There are plenty of hip-hop festivals out there waiting for you to find them in 2024. Whether you prefer trap, drill, old-school hip-hop, alternative hip hop or a bit of everything, you're certain to find a festival that'll blow your mind this year. 

While you're planning your 2024 festival adventures, why not check out the best house and techno, trance, or EDM and dance fests? Or head straight to our festival guide - HERE

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

 

 

Header: Rolling Loud Portugal / Facebook.com