Fat Joe, Cam’ron, Ma$e and several other big names will kick off Harlem’s upcoming culture festival.
The 2023 inaugural Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC) will occur at New York’s Randall’s Island Park from July 28-30.
Besides the aforementioned names, the likes of Teyana Taylor, Muni Long, Bell Biv DeVoe will also grace the stage during the three-day festival. Other performers will include, Adam Blackstone, Eric Bellinger, Jozzy, MAJOR., Remy Ma, Ro James, Tink and Wyclef Jean.
The event was inspired by the historic Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, which was the focus of the Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson.
HFC co-founder and technical & talent producer Yvonne McNai spoke about the upcoming event in an official statement.
She noted that the event highlights “the breadth and brilliance of Black music and culture.”
“Ultimately, HFC is our love letter to Harlem, and we’re excited to grow it into a landmark cultural experience that encapsulates all the things that make Uptown the nexus of innovation, cultural expression and a place of true community-building,” McNai said.
Bell Biv DeVoe’s Michael L. Bivins, who served as creative director for HFC, added that he had worked closely with McNai to help “build something very special and unique to the personality of this community.”
“As an artist who has spent a lot of time in Harlem and supported the local businesses in the neighborhood for many years, I’m so proud to be part of the inaugural Harlem Festival of Culture,” he said.
As for the host of the event, MC Lyte has been selected to take on the role.
“As a native New Yorker, I’m honored to host the very first Harlem Festival of Culture. [HFC] has planned something special that I think everyone – whether they’re from around the corner, across the country or around the world – will enjoy,” she said in a recent statement.
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