Coming soon to Miami: Rolling Loud featuring Ye, Future and Kendrick Lamar

A year marked by the end of lockdowns has also been marked by highly anticipated new music from some of the rap industry’s biggest stars, three of whom will headline this year’s Rolling Loud festival in Miami on July 22–24.

Ye, fresh off the release of his album Donda 2, will headline on Friday night. On Saturday, Future, who released his album I Never Liked You earlier this year, will take center stage. Closing out the festivities is Compton’s own Kendrick Lamar, whose recent album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, was released earlier this year.

While all three releases were met with mixed reviews from industry commentators, each artist has a deep catalog and legions of loyal fans to carry on the festivities. Each album was received with some scandal due to the inclusion of artists whose legal history with sexual assault has drawn greater scrutiny and ire in the post #MeToo era, and the festival is not excluded from this trend.

The inclusion of Kodak Black, whose infamy can be attributed to sexual assault allegations and homophobic remarks, and Charlotte rapper DaBaby, who enraged rap fans with homophobic commentary and has been involved in numerous acts of violence, has drawn criticism from those who feel like a reckoning in the industry is overdue.

Resurrecting the lineup are the numerous hitmaking, glass ceiling-breaking female rappers whose presence onstage mark the rising reign of female MCs in the overall rap game. Saweetie, Bia, Omeretta the Great, City Girls, Latto, Flo Milli, Baby Tate, Sukihana, Dess Dior and more plan to bring impeccable vibes and fabulous fits with their genre bending contributions to the festival sound.

This story was originally published July 12, 2022 at 10:00 AM.