Rock The Bells 2013 features a lineup of some of Rap’s most iconic figures, as well as some of its most promising acts. Bone thugs-n-harmony, E-40, Too $hort, Juicy J, Rakim, Tech N9ne, Talib Kweli and Wu-Tang Clan are among the veteran acts slated to perform at the festival, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and is scheduled to kick off September 7 and 8 at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California.
Big K.R.I.T., Black Hippy, Bodega Bamz, Brother Ali, Common, Curren$y, Danny Brown, Dilated Peoples, Dizzy Wright, Dom Kennedy, Earl Sweatshirt, Flatbush Zombies, Hit Boy, Hopsin, Immortal Technique, Jhene Aiko, Jurassic 5, Kid Cudi, Lecrae, Prof and Snow Tha Product are among the other acts on the bill.
“We have curated a multi-generational line-up that includes the best and brightest artists in the genre,” says Chang Weisberg, owner and founder of Guerilla Union, the company that puts on Rock The Bells. “It is not just great Hip Hop music. It’s great music, period. It’s a collection of artists who represent, respect and recognize everything that Rock The Bells…has accomplished in its storied history.”
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Rock the Bells plans to add a new wrinkle to its shows this year by having virtual performances of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard with Wu-Tang Clan and the late Eazy-E with his proteges Bone thugs-n-harmony. “This is not only a dream come true for the fans, but for me as well,” Weisberg says. “I would have never dreamt of the day, nor the technology, for this to come to fruition. Thanks to Dr. John Acunto and his team at Gig-It, they are going to help bring these two legendary rappers back to life. But, we will set the standard only approved by [ODB’s mother] Cherry Jones and [Eazy-E’s widow] Tomica Wright. This virtual performance is especially important for the legendary New York crew. The first year of Rock the Bells in 2004 was the last major performance all Wu-Tang Clan members had together before Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s untimely passing. Now, 10 years later, they will be reunited on the same stage at Rock the Bells for their 20-year anniversary.”
Rock The Bells will at be the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California September 14 and 15. The event will make its first stops at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., September 28 and 29 and at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey October 4 and 5.
As is Rock The Bells tradition, freestyle rapper Supernatural delivered the festival’s lineup with a verse that included each artist by name at the Sixth Annual Press Conference and Launch Party, which was held in Los Angeles Tuesday (May 14). The next announcement of artists on the Rock The Bells bill will be made in June at a New York press conference and launch party.
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(May 15)
UPDATE:Fuse.TV has announced that Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, KRS-One, RiFF RaFF and Girltalk & Freeway have been added to all Rock The Bells dates. Additionally, J. Cole has been added to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City. Action Bronson has been added to Los Angeles and San Francisco dates, and Pretty Lights to New York.
