A Fantasic Voyage: 9 Hip-Hop Festivals All Hip-Hop Heads Should Attend

Even though Hip-Hop acts may not get as much love from the major festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, that shouldn’t stop you from attending these dope festivals.

Scattered from coast to coast, there are many Festivals that cater to Hip-Hop music, theater, culture, and dance.

Whether you like old school, new school, underground, or mainstream, these 9 festivals have something for every Hip-Hop head that will have you packing your bags for a road trip.

Peep the page #’s below to see which festivals every Hip-Hop head should attend and why.

Paid Dues

Paid Dues is an annual Hip-Hop festival that took  California, until the summer of 2007 it was announced that the festival travel to multiple locations.

Paid Dues is event presented by Murs 3:16 in association with Guerilla Union.

On March 11th, 2006 the first Paid Dues festival sold out, with over 5,000 concert goers packing the Shrine Expo Center in Los Angeles.

Acts:  Ice Cube, Freestyle Fellowship, Murs & 9th Wonder, Tech N9ne

Established in 2005, BHF has grown from a parking lot in Williamsburg to the largest hip hop event in New York City.

The festival’s format centers around its first and second stage Hip-Hop performances and includes a variety of affiliated hip hop cultural events that occur in the days leading up to the festival.

Besides its music programming, the festival also features a “Family Day” segment that has music, performances, demonstrations and seminars from a host of family centric organizations.

Acts: De La Soul Nice & Smooth (Greg Nice and Smooth B) Pete Rock & CL Smooth Q-Tip (rapper) of A Tribe Called Ques DJ Premier

Rock the Bells is an annual hip hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world.

The concert features a lineup of high-profile alternative hip hop artists, often headlined by a more mainstream artist. The first festival was held in 2004, featuring a re-united Wu-Tang Clan, who performed 4 months before Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s death.

That festival is covered in depth by a documentary film also called Rock the Bells (film).

Acts: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas, AZ, Pete Rock and DJ Premier, Erykah Badu, Cypress Hill,  Black Star, Common

Now in its 7th year, the A3C Hip Hop Festival is a 2-day, 3-night event held annually in Atlanta, GA featuring live performances from some of Hip Hop’s most talented artists.

Through the support of our fans, the A3C has grown into the largest Hip Hop Festival in the southeastern US, drawing over 15,000 people in 2010.

Acts: Big K.R.I.T, Freddie Gibbs, Random Axe, Smoke DZA, XV, Big Pooh.

While SXSW may not be an exclusively Hip-Hop Festival, it is definitely one that showcases some of the best upcoming and veteran Hip-Hop acts in the game.

Located in Texas, the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery.

Acts: Curren$y, Big Boi, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Bun B, Dom Kennedy

Everything you need to know about this Festvial is in the name of it.

Located in San Bernardino, California, this festival mixes Hip-Hop with Alternative and Electro music and of course a little bit of Marijuana.

Acts: Atmosphere, Nas & Damien Marley, Snoop Dogg, MGMT, Deadmou5

For a decade, Hip-Hop Theater Festival has showcased the stories, people, music, dance, and word of Hip-Hop live and on stage in NYC.

All around the world HHTF is known as one of the most influential outlets showcasing Hip-Hop performing arts.

Since its inception, HHTF has presented hundreds of artists including

 Acts: Danny Hoch, Aya de Leon, Baba Israel, Kristina Wong, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Liza Colon Zayas, Chad Bosema

Audiotistic is an annual multi-genre music festival. Electronic Music, Hip Hop and all Indie Music styles and genres are represented.

Audiotistic took place annually from 1996 – 2003. In 2009 Audiotistic returned to Southern California.

Acts: Major Lazer, Kid Cudi, Lazaro Casanova, Lil B, The Roots, Chromeo

A festival at Canterbury Park in Minnesota that features some of the dopes Hip-Hop emcees and cars in the United States.

Now on its 3rd year, Soundset has been able to mix some of the most legendary emcees with the most prominent up and coming youngsters.

Held in May, Soundset has a variety of artists for whatever type of Hip-Hop you like.

Acts: Slaughterhouse, Mac Miller, Big Boi, Brother Ali, Evidence, The Pharcyde