The 2023 celebration honors the 50th anniversary of hip-hop
LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells, the global platform dedicated to elevating hip-hop culture from its roots to the modern day, sold out its annual Rock The Bells Festival celebrating 50 years of hip-hop for the second year in a row. Co-presented by Procter & Gamble and Walmart, the Festival featured epic performances by LL Cool J featuring DJ Z-Trip and The Roots, Run DMC, Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep, Brand Nubian, Lost Boyz, Queen Latifah, Ludacris, Method Man & Redman, Swizz Beatz, Salt-n-Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, The God MC Rakim, Slick Rick, Boot Camp Clik featuring Buckshot and Evil Dee, Smif-N-Wessun, OGC and Rock & Bernadette Price, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, MC Sha-Rock, Roxanne Shanté, Monie Love, Cold Crush Brothers.
“We’re truly grateful for the incredible support we received for the Rock The Bells Festival, especially in this monumental year as we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop,” states Rock The Bells President James Cuthbert. “The Festival selling out for a second year in a row is a testament to the enduring power and impact of this culture and movement that has changed lives and influenced the world. Thank you to all the fans who made this Festival a success. We’re looking forward to the fans joining us at our next celebration.”
In a major tribute to the culture, this year’s Festival featured noteworthy acknowledgments and surprise performances from some of hip-hop’s prominent figures including Remy Ma, Rapsody, Big Boi, and Naughty by Nature (Treach and Vin Rock).
Beyond the special appearances, the Festival featured engaging experiences and activations with the Festivals brand partners. The Walmart Makers Studio, an extension of Walmart’s ‘Black & Unlimited’ platform, put the spotlight on emerging Black makers, collaborators and influencers who are shaping hip-hop culture. The activation featured five curated modules: The Sneaker Salon, The Refresh, The Tagging Table, The Studio and The Stoop. Walmart also joined forces with Brooklyn-based African-American visual artist Adrian Brandon to design co-branded festival merchandise exclusively available on NTWRK, North America’s leading livestream shopping platform.
Attendees enjoyed an immersive shopping experience at the Rock The Bells Bodega where attendees were able to purchase limited edition Festival merch and win a limited edition LL Cool J Metro Card. The Food That Slaps Market is the first hip-hop-inspired food court elevating artists and culinary creatives inspired by the culture. This year’s market was co-curated with the James Beard Foundation, which helped select several vendors through a public open search.
