Roots Picnic marks 18 years with massive lineup, Jay‑Z headliner

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Roots Picnic returns to Philadelphia this weekend, marking its 18th year with its biggest lineup yet and a headlining performance from rapper Jay-Z.

The two-day music festival begins Saturday at the Belmont Plateau, where Black Thought and The Roots Crew will once again host the event.

“It’s a return to the connection, you know, between the city of Philadelphia and Jay-Z. It’s a return to the essence of what the history of the Belmont Plateau has always been, like the history of black music there, just a soulful energy,” said Black Thought, whose real name is Tariq Trotter.

WATCH: Face to face with The Roots co-founder Black Thought

According to Trotter, the relationship between Jay-Z and The Roots goes back years.

He said, “Jay-Z and the Roots have had a long relationship. Many years ago, we were artists on the label he was running at the time.”

Building on that history, Trotter and fellow co-founder Questlove decided it was the right time to invite Jay-Z to headline. After he agreed, other artists quickly followed, including Erykah Badu, Brandy, T.I., and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Organizers say around 80,000 people are expected to attend the two-day festival.

Read more Roots Picnic is heading to the Belmont Plateau as Philadelphia prepares for a celebration of 80,000 people

Brandon Pankey, vice president of development and operations for Live Nation Urban, said, “We have two stages this year. We want to make sure we can really make the maximum impact with the number of artists and our performance.”

This festival has become quite popular since its initial days.

What started as a small music show in a parking lot 18 years ago has expanded into a major concert. This year’s celebration will also serve as the backdrop for Jay-Z, marking the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt.

Trotter described the album as a defining moment in the artist’s career.

He said, “Reasonable Doubt, you know, was a seminal record for Jay-Z. You know, that’s where it all started.” “You can’t underestimate their level of… you know, popularity, their level of accomplishment, their level of importance. So, you know, it puts Picnic in the widest lens of the world, you know, that we’ve ever been involved in, so it’s a blessing.”

He said this year’s event represents a milestone for the festival and reflects almost two decades of work building the brand.