With New York’s annual mega-festival, Governors Ball, kicking off today at Randall’s Island amidst the rain, AllHipHop.com has chosen 10 must-see acts to highlight for this weekend’s tens of thousands of concert-goers.
Amidst the eclectic collection of artists like Kanye West, Guns N’ Roses, Kings of Leon, The XX and Nas that will be performing there are always some hidden gems that may not be on your radar.
With that in mind, here are 8 acts that need to be seen and heard at this weekends festival:
8. The Knocks
The Knocks ARE one of the hottest producing duos in music right now. B-Roc and J Patt have been wowing festival audiences for several years and as they’re brand and fanbase continues to grow, what better way to get introduced to the future of electronic dance music then seeing them live?
Where: Friday 6/7 – Skyy Vodka Tent @ 2:15
[Follow The Knocks on Twitter: @TheKnocks]
Amidst the never-ending beefs and feuds that Ms. Banks seems to find herself a part of, the 22 year-old Harlem native is known best for her energetic performances at festivals ranging from Coachella to Bonnaroo to this weekends Governors Ball. With her debut studio album, Broke With Expensive Taste, set to drop later this summer, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to decide whether or not you buy into the “hype” and more importantly the girl herself.
Where: Saturday 6/8 – Skyy Vodka Tent @ 5:45
[Follow Azealia Banks on Twitter: @AzealiaBanks]
Since parting ways with Young Jeezy’s CTE imprint last year, Señor Gibbs has ramped up his musical offerings in the form of his critically-acclamied mixtape, Baby Face Killa, countless songs and numerous guest appearances. With Gibbs’ next release, ESGN, set to drop on July 9th, this weekend will be a good gauge for the level of interest that New York fans have for the Indiana-native in the years to come.
Where: Sunday 6/9 – Skyy Vodka Tent @ 2:15
[Follow Freddie Gibbs on Twitter: @FreddieGibbs]
5. Erykah Badu and the Cannabinoids
The 4-time Grammy Award-winning singer will be gracing one of the four stages at this weekend’s festival backed by her very unique group The Cannabinoids. This is not the R&B-centric set that you’re probably expecting since Erykah and her band go for a more experimentative angle during their performances but no question this will not be a set that you want to miss!
Where: Friday 6/7 – Skyy Vodka Tent @ 8:00
[Follow Erykah Badu on Twitter: @FatBellyBella]
Name a festival this summer that Kendrick isn’t a part of. Seriously give it a shot because the kid from Compton has leveled up from being one of the most applauded up-and-coming rappers to THE biggest new name in music. Following a short yet historic set at last weekends Hot 97 Summer Jam, fans can look forward to seeing a complete hour-long performance from the games hottest MC right now with plenty of surprises in-store. And although we don’t expect Papoose to crash two Kendrick sets in a 7-day span, it is New York City, so you never know what to expect.
Where: Saturday 6/8 – Honda Stage @ 6:45
[Follow Kendrick Lamar on Twitter: @KendrickLamar]
There’s a reason that everyone from Jay-Z to The Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton and beyond have called Gary Clark Jr. “the future of music.” After sweeping the Austin Music Awards recently and releasing one of the years most praised albums in the form of Blak and Blu, Gary is a talent and act that needs to be witnessed to be believed. Whether you’re a fan of Hip-Hop or Rock or Jazz or whatever your taste may be, there is no doubt that Gary Clark Jr. has something to offer listeners no matter what they’re initial judgement of him is.
Where: Sunday 6/9 – Honda Stage @ 4:45
[Follow Gary Clark Jr. on Twitter: @GaryClarkJR]
2. Nas
Nas comes home! The man who has done such historic things as bring out Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, AZ, DJ Premier and Pete Rock at past NYC events will no doubt have all eyes on him to see what exactly he has up his sleeve this time. With a catalog of classics that will make the island shake, there is no doubt that life is still good for the Queensbridge native and Hip-Hop icon.
Where: Saturday 6/8 – Honda Stage @ 9:30
[Follow Nas on Twitter: @Nas]
1. Kanye West
What really needs to be said that hasn’t been said before? It’s Kanye West, performing live, on his birthday of all times, in New York City. Oh and in case you’ve been living under a rock, one of the biggest entertainers in music will be dropping his highly-anticipated new album, Yeezus, in two weeks. Could we be getting the best preview to date of his new material? I say yes!
Where: Sunday 6/9 – Governors Ball NYC Stage @ 9:30
[Follow Kanye West on Twitter: @KanyeWest]
If you haven’t gotten them already, tickets for this weekend’s festival are still available at GovernorsBallMusicFestival.com.
Be sure to check out the first part of our “Be There” preview piece to see what other must-see festival are happening this summer.