Perched high and secure in the upper echelon of power brokers in Black music you would find the surname Carter, most notably associated with Dwayne and Shawn. Slowly but surely, we may have to make room for another Carter who’s making his presence felt in an attempt to breathe in that rarified air. As the founder of one of the premier music festivals in the nation, ONE Musicfest, J. Carter issued a statement in early summer for the planned vision of the 2023 edition in Atlanta. “We are beyond excited about the 14th annual ONE Musicfest. To have the opportunity to host Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, and other iconic artists in the middle of Piedmont Park is a dream come true, especially on the 50th Anniversary of hip hop. It doesn’t get any better than this. It will be a premium experience for the artists, the attendees, and our partners. We look forward to our new home in Piedmont Park and delivering an elevated experience to our many fans,” he said, knowing that if this edition performs as it should, ONE Musicfest is that much closer to becoming a household name and a permanent destination for lovers of live Black music and the artists that make it.
In the days leading up to the event, Carter further described his vision on WXIA-TV, saying, “It’s an amazing cultural good time, good feel event. It’s an incredible weekend of live music, festival activities, and amazing food. That’s something we curate almost as stringently as our artist lineup is our food lineup.” He continues, “It’s an incredible event to experience and be a part of. The giveback and what we do for the city as well is just as important.” Part of that giveback came in the form of the combined efforts from HBCU Change, Asbury Automotive Group and Aetna, which along with ONE Musicfest donated $65,000 to Morris Brown College and FAMU.
Underrated music industry giant Ed Lover and The Dream, a creative force in the music industry with a hand in over 100 million records sold as a singer/songwriter/producer, both received Atlanta City Council proclamations for their contributions to the growth and strengthening of black music and culture.
The main event boasted an impressive lineup over three stages, including Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, Tems,, Coco Jones, El DeBarge, Durand Bernarr, Bryson Tiller, Lil’ Kim, Fabolous, Jadakiss, KRS One, and Big Daddy Kane. These were some of the big name performers and all delivered A1 performances.
Lil’ Kim provided one of the more surprising guest appearances with the addition of Sukihana, who draws inspiration from the legendary rapper. A gracious Sukihana shared her gratitude online, as she expressed how much the moment meant to her.
“@lilkimthequeenbee brought me outtttt,” she wrote on Instagram. “This means so much to [bee emoji] my hard work is paying off. I am actually just getting started. So excited to show the world SUKIHANA. This is a dream come true for me.”Janet Jackson joined the superstar friend phase by inviting J. Cole for a rendition of their 2015 track “No Sleep” as well as Jazze Pha and Jermaine Dupri. But none of that was necessary as Ms. Jackson affirmed who she was and IS in this game!
While those were high points, it was the local stars that shone bright. If there were any doubts about the legendary status of The Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, and T.I after experiencing the reciprocal love between artists, lay them to rest expeditiously!. That love for their own is real and a sight to behold. Can’t wait to see what 2024 brings.
Over and out!! Enjoy the nightlife.