It’s that time of year when many people begin trading in their t-shirts for hoodies and summer drinks for apple cider. As the summer closes out, the festival season does as well. The final stretch of live music celebrations will consist of ONE Music Fest in Atlanta, Rolling Loud in New York, Austin City Limits Festival in Texas and Rolling Loud in Toronto. With that said, things will officially kick off in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during Labor Day weekend on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Continuing a decade-long tradition, Made In America will bring many of the biggest artists from around the world to three stages. As the two-day extravaganza begins, Def Pen has three important questions that need to be answered before the weekend is complete.
Who will emerge from the Freedom Stage?
Each year, Made In America makes way for the best and brightest emerging artists to put on performances like no other. In 2019, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby and Lizzo capped off the summer with back-to-back-to-back performances on the same stage. Last year, Capella Grey brought “Gyalis” to the city of Brotherly Love. This year, a new set of acts will have an opportunity to make their presence felt on the Freedom Stage.
On Saturday and Sunday, many stars of the next generation will step foot on the Freedom Stage. Flo Milli, Glorilla, Kenny Mason and Jenevieve are just a few of the artists set to grace that particular stage. Among that crop of rising artists, who will put on more than a performance. Who will creat a moment that will extend beyond the Benjamin Franklin Parkway? If I had to put my money on it, I’d go with Kenny Mason and Flo Milli, but that’s just me. We’ll find out by the end of the weekend.
How Will J.I.D Retell The Forever Story?
Expectations were high for J.I.D’s Dreamville studio album debut and he delivered. The Forever Story not only showcases the Atlanta native’s rapping vocal ability and soulful vocal tone, but it also brought listeners into his world. Track by track, the Dreamville recording artist introduced listeners to his siblings, close friends and darkest secrets. Through it all, he opened up a new window into the musical soul that exists inside his pen and microphone.
Having passed the first test, J.I.D must now take his debut album on the road. While he hasn’t announced a tour to support The Forever Story, Made In America will serve as his first major performance since the album’s release. As shown in his Something In The Water set from earlier this summer, J.I.D has exceptional crowd control, breath control and overall performance ability. With that said, it will be interesting to see what songs from The Forever Story he chooses to perform during this set. Will he lead with an energetic track like “Dance Now” or will he lean on more soul songs like “Kody Blu 41”? The world will learn when he steps on Made In America’s Liberty Stage at 5:15 p.m. EST on September 3.
Will Beyoncé Start A The Made In America Renaissance?
This year, Made In America did an incredible job putting together a diverse lineup that spans several genres. Fans of R&B will have a great time watching the likes of Jazmine Sullivan and Victoria Monet. Meanwhile, Hip-Hop heads can enjoy sets from J.I.D and Pusha T. Not to mention, global stars like Tyler, The Creator, Bad Bunny and Burna Boy will take the stage. The lineup is strong as is, but another cherry could be placed on top of the sundae that is Made In America.
On Sunday, September 4, 2022, a Houston native by the name of Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter will celebrate her 41st birthday. She recently released a chart-topping album called Renaissance that millions of listeners around the world can’t stop replaying. She has not yet announced any intention to tour in support of the album. Not to mention, she just so happens to be married to a guy by the name of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter who helps put. together Made In America and may have also just dropped one of the best verses of the year. It wouldn’t be any inconvenience for those watching at home or in person if the Carters just so happened to hop on stage.
In fact, there are a number of opportunities throughout the weekend for surprise appearances. Lil’ Tjay has hinted that he’d still like to make it out to Philadelphia if he is medically able. Also, Meek Mill has been teasing new music just as a major festival pops up in his hometown. Who knows what could happen?
