5 Best Moments From Megan Thee Stallion’s Twerk-Fueled Lollapalooza 2024 Headlining Set

With Lollapalooza 2024 marking the final stop on the Hot Girl Summer tour, Megan Thee Stallion closed out the first day of the festival with an electrifying performance — and a timely message — on Thursday night (Aug. 1). 

After performing at Vice President Kamala Harris’ first presidential campaign rally in Atlanta earlier this week, Megan continued a stellar week by headlining Lollapalooza on Thursday night, three years after her first main stage appearance at the festival and a few weeks after replacing Tyler, The Creator at the top of the Lolla bill. The combination of political statements and twerk-ready hits made sense in the context of her high-wattage show, and went over well with festival-goers, who were equally in awe of her candid stances and catalog of rapid-fire records.

Decked out in a pink sequence jumpsuit and cowboy boots, Meg started her hour-long set with the venomous “Hiss” before transitioning to her more salacious club anthems. The rap star went on to play records like “Thot S**t” and “Megan Piano,” encouraging the crowd to join her as she twerked in the evening drizzle. And with a black towel in hand and a roaring crowd on its feet, she rolled through fan-favorite bangers like “WAP” and “Wanna Be.” “Tonight, I’m not giving y’all my lightest twerk,” she said. “I’m giving y’all my hardest twerk in the motherf–king rain, because I want the hotties to have a good-ass time.” 

Despite the weather and the wrapping-up of her summer tour, Meg made her return to Chicago worth fans’ while. She even brought a special hometown guest to the stage, and played a new viral hit in front of thousands.

Here are five of the best moments from the Meg Thee Stallion’s headlining Lollapalooza performance. 

The ‘Hotties for Harris’ Campaign

Days after her campaign rally appearance, the “Houston Hottie” paused her Lolla show to double down on her support of the presumptive Democratic nominee. “Let me pop my s**t real quick, because [people] were fake mad that I was popping it for Kamala,” Megan said to the crowd at Grant Park’s T-Mobile stage. “I don’t think they heard what she said. Kamala said she wants a ceasefire. Kamala said she supports women’s rights. And she said she’s tired of those high-ass gas prices … It’s ‘Hotties for Harris,’ goddammit!” There were no audible rejections from the audience — the campaign is in full effect. 

The Twerk Encouragement

It isn’t enough for Megan to simply twerk on her own — she’s a masterful hype woman who encourages her backup dancers to shine during brief intermissions in her set. She even had one of her dancers shine with a solo moment while she performed “Gift & A Curse.” The same courtesy was given to the crowd, as fans broke out into twerk circles and hyped each other up from across the park.

The Newest Hit

In short time, Megan has established herself as one of the biggest rappers in hip-hop, as her catalog of trap-infused hits, sharp-tongued diss records and femme-powered jams have elevated her to superstardom. The international appeal of the viral hit “Mamushi,” featuring Tokyo’s Yuki Chiba and given a TikTok dance, has broadened her horizons as well, and went off like a firecracker during her Thursday night set. But overall, her Lallapooloza performance was evidence of her ascension and rightful place as a headliner. 

The Special Guest

While GloRilla was sadly absent from Meg’s Lollapalooza performance after a rumored appearance, the Houston-born rapper invited a familiar face for Chicago sports fans to the stage. The special guest was WNBA all-star forward Angel Reese, who danced with Megan as she rapped “Where Them Girls At.” The Chicago Sky star mostly stood toward the back half of the stage, but she and Meg shared several videos and hugs during the must-see moment. 

The Day-One Hotties

After playing songs from her recent album Megan and Traumazine, Megan traveled back in time, and fully morphed into her alter ego Tina Snow, for stomping hits like “Hot Girl” and night club anthems like “Big Ole Freak.” And while her newly initiated hotties were welcomed with open arms, Megan acknowledged the festival-goers who supported her as she ascended the rap music ladder. 

– Billboard

5 Best Moments From Chappell Roan’s Jam-Packed Set at Lollapalooza 2024

Even with the unforgiving heat looming over the crowd during the opening afternoon at Lollapalooza 2024, seemingly every fan in attendance left their pockets of summer shade on Thursday (Aug. 1) for a clear view of Chappell Roan’s entrance. The vertically challenged climbed their partners’ shoulders; others slipped through gaps in the tightly packed parkway in Chicago’s Grant Park. 

As the clock struck 5 p.m., the exploding pop star rose onto the T-Mobile Stage, and was welcomed with cheers that stretched across the southern section of Grant Park. Roan came out to the anthem “Femininomenon” while dressed in a cotton-candy-colored outfit with a luchador-style mask covering her face, but once she dove into dance-pop tunes like “Naked in Manhattan” and “Red Wine Supernova,” she unveiled the face that has quickly become a mainstream fixture, and let her fiery amber hair loose. She swooned the crowd with her theatrical moves and striking vocal runs, as flashing lights and fireworks helped turn Lollapalooza into a 1980s-style music video. 

Roan’s command of an audience as large as Lolla’s shouldn’t be a surprise. The self-proclaimed “Midwest Princess” has sprinkled her musical fairy dust across continental lines on her global tour, and her enchanting stage presence was on full display during the opening day of the festival. Roan transitioned from sultry tunes like “After Midnight” to campy dance jams like “Good Luck, Babe!,” giving license to sequenced fist pumps, dance moves and percussive chants among the crowd. “Thank you for having me Lolla!” she screamed — although on Thursday afternoon, Lolla was no doubt thankful to have the ascendant star on its main stage.

Here are five of the best moments from Roan’s Lollapalooza set. 

The Slower Moments

While the sonic potpourri of Roan’s 2000s-inspired pop records garnered the biggest receptions at Lollapalooza, Roan fell to her knees to deliver tales of past hookups on “Casual” and the emotionally rich heartbreaker “Subway.” These setlist entries brought balance to Roan’s high-powered performance, which prompted shared hugs and kisses among festival-goers. 

The Vocal Shapeshifting

Roan has amassed a sprawling fan base for several reasons, but those not paying close attention may not expect the breadth of her vocal ability. At Lollapalooza, Roan continued to prove she’s a musical acrobat who can seamlessly leap from whimsical pop tunes to roaring ballads on a dime. Her vocal power allows for such versatility — and part of the fun of attending a Chappell Roan show is watching the audience try to match it, howling and bellowing in charming attempts to match her flowing harmonics.  

The Outfit

Roan, whose aesthetic is often influenced by glittery drag style, chose to go with a (relatively) muted outfit choice at Lollapalooza: the artist dressed in a wrestling-inspired short-sleeved bodysuit, with colors bursting in blue and pink highlights, lots of fringe and a silver star belt. Despite the 90-degree heat, she sported a luchador mask — but only for a few minutes. Once she settled on stage, Roan turned to the crowd to let her strawberry-colored hair and silver face paint grace the sun. 

The Welcomed Theatrics

Long before she rose to pop stardom, Roan was a theater kid whose Hollywood dreams first bloomed in her hometown of Springfield, Mo. Her Lollapalooza set was full of flashes of her dramatic training, as she twirled on stage, belted out ballads with Broadway fervor and often grabbed her chest to further emphasize the emotional notes. Then she made a full split halfway through her set, leading to some of the loudest audience roars of the day.

The Global Fandom

While she’s crowned the “Midwest Princess,” Chappell Roan’s fandom stretches far and wide, beyond the confines of Lollapalooza. Festival-goers ventured from around the world to attend Chicago’s annual music festival, and shots of the crowd size started going viral before the set had concluded. Roan’s mountainous vocals and crowd-pleasing tunes forged one of the better performances on day one, and with her global success in full bloom, it’s safe to say Roan has graduated from “Midwest Princess” to international star.

– Billboard

Philly’s Illharmonic Orchestra is a house party in a concert hall

Like many Black teens in the 1980s, Philadelphia native Jeffrey McNeill was obsessed with hip-hop music and culture. He wrote his first rhyme at 8 years old, and at 12, he mixed the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to craft his first beat.

Years later, Coolio’s 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” gave McNeill artistic purpose. The song, built from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” landed the late West Coast rapper a Grammy for best rap solo performance and led McNeill to the harmonious blend of hip-hop and orchestral music.

As Coolio, backed by an orchestra, hit the 1996 Grammy stage, McNeill watched in awe. “I pointed to the TV, thinking, ‘That’s it. That’s the idea, and that’s what I want to do,’” he said. “I knew it could work.”

The future MC looked to meld the powers of rap and traditional orchestration and play it in concert halls worldwide. And with the Illharmonic Orchestra, he did just that.

By the late 1990s, McNeill was recording and making music, but he wasn’t performing as regularly as he wanted. That changed when he began dating his wife and musical collaborator, Andrea, in 2000.

On their first date, McNeill took Andrea to see Mary J. Blige in Atlantic City and the two connected through their love of hip-hop, jazz, soul, and classical music. The two music lovers eventually joined hands on stage; She started out as McNeill’s hype woman, then became the group’s lead vocalist soon after.

Going by the stage names “Thee Phantom” and “The Phoenix,” McNeill and his wife perform classic hip-hop records that are woven together by a DJ and rotating ensemble comprised of trumpeters, cellists pianists, violinists, and other instrumentalists — mostly of color.

“It’s like a house party in a concert hall,” McNeill said, with audiences dancing through aisles as the duo play their orchestral renditions of songs like the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa,” Eric B and Rakim’s “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” and other beloved hip-hop records.

“Hip-hop is an amalgamation of jazz, soul, breakbeats, and disco,” Andrea said. “But it also has instrumentation, and we’re putting a face to that. You’ve heard it on the radio or wax, but you haven’t necessarily made a connection to that sound in a Rakim song as a standing bass, or the piano in ‘The Bridge Is Over.’ It opens up the mind in another way.”

As many opportunities opened up for the orchestra, there was just as many “nos,” Andrea said.

“A lot of places were afraid of hip-hop,” she said. “Hip-hop is quintessentially Black, and bringing hip-hop into a classical space made people very uncomfortable.”

There was skepticism from the classical and hip-hop community. It was, as Jeffrey McNeill said, “draining” to continue spending their own money to rent venues and produce shows. “It was really tough to get booked on our own,” he said.

The couple was on the verge of disbanding, but in 2015, things began to change. That year, the orchestra was tapped to play at Carnegie Hall. McNeill brought a 25-piece ensemble to play at the famed concert hall, becoming only the third hip-hop artist to headline a show at the New York venue.

After Carnegie Hall, the orchestra continued to perform across the country, and even sold out the Kennedy Center in 2017. To date, the couple have had over 200 musicians take part in their touring orchestra.

Phill Charles, who joined the orchestra as a DJ in 2010, said Illharmonic looks to change the audience’s perception of hip-hop performances. “The orchestra is vast, diverse, and talented,” said Charles, who performs as DJ Philly C. “You can count on them at any time in any city. There are no wild cards because they have performed with us, been vetted, and they fit together like Legos.”

For Kelly Lee, chief cultural officer for the City of Philadelphia, the orchestra is a great representative of Philly, and she’s happy to see the ensemble receive its just recognition. “The Illharmonic Orchestra blends two iconic parts of Philly music culture into one genre-bending art form that makes hip-hop more accessible to orchestra lovers, orchestra music more accessible to hip-hop lovers, and lovers of both,” she said.

Philadelphia writer and DJ John Morrison, currently working on a documentary about the group, said what Illharmonic has done over the years is “mind-blowing.” “Working on this film has been eye-opening,” he said. “I’ve been able to go to a few of the orchestra’s performances, and seeing the reaction from the crowds has been powerful to witness. I didn’t get a full picture before we started the process, but watching the audience respond has opened my mind.”

“It’s not a gimmick for us,” Charles said. “This is not like a thing that we’re just doing because it’s in vogue right now. This is what we’ve always done.” Although other hip-hop orchestras have surfaced in recent years, the Illharmonic ensemble is the first of its kind.

The couple want to extend the Illharmonic legacy in a way that makes a community impact. With the documentary and continued performances, they want to inspire more instrumentalists of color to pursue their musical ambitions.

“Representation means something; it’s important on all levels,” Andrea said. “One of the things that gives me the greatest joy is being in a room full of gifted musicians, and we’ll continue to move with a certain level of intention.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

8 Exciting Sets From The 2023 Roots Picnic: Usher, Lil Uzi Vert, Lauryn Hill & More

For 15 years, The Roots have gathered the music’s brightest and fastest-rising talents to perform in Philadelphia for their annual Roots Picnic, and this year’s lineup was nothing short of star-studded. 

After kicking off the weekend with Dave Chappelle’s comedy show at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, the action moved to the Mann Center in Fairmont Park where fans witnessed surprise crew reunions, unexpected cameos, and a taste of the Las Vegas strip across three performance stages. 

On Saturday, legendary rap group State Property reunited for the first time in years, Lil Uzi Vert rocked out with the Park Stage crowd for his third picnic appearance. Supported by the Soulquarians, legends the Isley Brothers and Roy Ayers lit up the Park stage. Lauryn Hill closed out day two by commemorating her GRAMMY-winning album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and bringing out Pras and Wyclef Jean for a Fugees reunion. 

Sunday featured high-powered performances from soulful songstress Ari Lennox, former Ruff Ryders first lady Eve, and the devastating femmes of South Florida, the City Girls. Philly’s own DJ Drama drew out home-grown talents like D-Surdy, Armani White, and Bronx legend Fat Joe on the Presser stage. 

To close out the weekend, Usher brought the magic of his Vegas residency to West Philly for a string of era-defining hits in the twilight of the festival. Read on for some of the most captivating moments and exciting sets from the 2023 Roots Picnic. 

GloRilla Shines In Roots Picnic Debut

Unapologetic rebel GloRilla may have just one EP under her belt, but her growing fandom came alive during her Roots Picnic performance.

The Presser Stage crowd swooned along with femme-empowering smashes like "Phatnall," as well as more provocative songs like "Nut Quick" and "Lick or Sum." Legions of newly single fans  screamed the lyrics to crunk hit "F.N.F. (Let’s Go)." 

Big Glo kept the momentum going at high speed, loosening the relatively stiff crowd. And while Cardi B wasn’t present for her part in "Tomorrow 2," GloRilla brought out an energized and visibly pregnant Chrisean Rock for a twerk-worthy cameo. 

GloRilla truly embraced her rowdy nature and southern charm, which has helped her earn garner recognition from her peers and even notch her first GRAMMY nod for Best Rap Performance. 

Usher Brings Sultry And Sin To The City, With A Few Special Guests

Before Usher had even closed out the festival, radio and podcast personality Charlamagne and comedian Jess Hilarious talked about wrapping up their own event early to snag a close seat to watch the R&B star in action.

Though decades into his musical career, Usher hasn't missed a step. Dressed in leather, the eight-time GRAMMY winner delivered his classic, slow-burning album cuts and glossy radio hits under the glimmering lights of the open air Park stage. 

Usher put on an electrifying performance that covered hits from various eras in his catalog. Songs like "Love in This Club," "U Don’t Have to Call," and "Lil Freak" had Sunday’s crowd staring in awe, even for those looking to get ahead of the departing traffic. He also brought The Roots on stage before Philly natives Jazmine Sullivan, Eve and Black Thought joined the singer to perform "U Got Me." 

Lauryn Hill (And Some Famous Friends) Took The Crowd Way Back 

Lauryn Hill’s reputation precedes her. Some fans joked about her tardiness — or even potential absence — but the legendary vocalist arrived about 30 minutes past her scheduled set time and put on a performance that was met with shockwaves of cheers.

Hill's headlining performance coincides with a big milestone: the 25th anniversary of her groundbreaking album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. "Even though it's been 25 years, everything is still everything," she told the enlivened crowd. 

She performed tracks from the masterful GRAMMY-winning album, including "Everything Is Everything" and "When It Hurts So Bad," but perhaps the biggest surprise throughout the weekend was the reunion between her, Pras and Wyclef Jean. The trio came together as the Fugees to perform hits "Ready Or Not" and "Killing Me Softly" for a spirited celebration of the group’s 1996 album The Score. 

"We’re out here doing 25 years of Miseducation. But there’s another 25 years we didn’t do a couple of years ago because of COVID," Hill said of the group’s project. The group closed out with "Fu-Gee-La," with Hill switching from her soothing alto to her "L-Boogie" persona of old, bringing the joyous crowd to its knees. 

City Girls Bring The Twerkers Out To Play

The City Girls brought headliner energy to Sunday’s picnic, with JT and Young Miami inciting a twerkathon with hot summer girl anthems like "Act Up" and "Do It On The Tip" playing out center stage. 

The Miami duo kept the energy high with on-stage twerk moves, pulsating hits like "Twerkulator," and efforts to draw out the crowd’s inner act-bad attitude by screaming: "If you’re a bad bitch, say, ‘Hell, yeah!’" And by the end of the group’s performance, fans were left with a racing heartbeat or sweating from the constant flow of high-powered hits and go-get-him-girl records. 

Lil Uzi Vert Knows What The City Wants

Now in their third appearance since 2016, Philly native Lil Uzi Vert took to the Park stage on Saturday, bringing enough bass and adoring screams that could be heard across Fairmont Park. 

 "I ain’t going to do too much talking. Let’s do it," they said to the roaring crowd. While Lil Uzi’s voice occasionally drowned in a song’s instrumental, their effortless magnetism and signature shoulder roll dance brought excitement to the growing crowd. 

The rumblings of hits like "444+222" and "Sauce It Up" rang in fans’ ears, and songs like "Money Longer," and the Diamond-selling smash "XO Tour Llif3" nearly turned portions of the crowd into mosh pits. Lil Uzi’s performance came to a welcomed halt when fans were invited to the stage to dance to the massively popular "Just Wanna Rock," which has become an unofficial anthem in their hometown. "I’m in the city, this they s—."  Fans pulled out their phones as the rap star capped off the set with the viral hit. 

Lucky Daye Drips In Allure

Only a year removed from his breakthrough album, Candydrip — a genre-drifting and soul-stirring project riddled with pop and R&B hits — Lucky Daye has risen to star status. And with songs like "Real Games" and "Late Night," it’s easy to be drawn to the New Orleans-born artist. 

While initially draped in glimmering red garments, it didn’t take the artist long to strip down (well, shirtless, that is), and render impassioned vocals over the cheers and screams of his admirers. He dove into songs across his various albums and fell to his knees to deliver a burningly passionate rendition of "F—kin’ Sound" before the 37-year-old vocalist exited the Mann’s amphitheater stage.

Ari Lennox Conjures Soul In Comforting Fashion

It’s unclear if Ari Lennox still has plans to step away from the touring circuit for good, but if her Sunday evening performance is any indication,  her presence would be sorely missed. The "Shea Butter Baby" vocalist conjured every fragment of her soulful and poetic artistry, bringing vibes despite having a slight cold.   

The DC-born R&B singer danced to the flowy breeze setting over the stretched-out crowd while singing favored tracks like "New Apartment," as well as "Waste My Time" and "Pressure" from last year’s Age/Sex/Location. Lennox encouraged fans to close their eyes and sway their hips, and many raised drinks as Lennox’s soothing voice and sultry lyrics wrapped around their bodies.

Busta Rhymes And Eve Come To Devastate

Joined by The Roots’ Black Thought, Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star tore down the Park stage, even with distracting audio woes hindering the early part of their set. Shot mic or not, Busta’s lion-like voice could be heard from yards away as he spewed the lyrics to "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and A Tribe Called Quest’s "Scenario" to a cheering audience. 

Eve arrived during the latter part of the DJ J. Period curated set. The former First Lady of Ruff Ryder burst onto the stage and held her own alongside the fellow hip-hop heavyweights. As she swayed the crowd with songs like "Tambourine" and her verse on the late DMX’s "Ruff Ryders Anthem (Remix)," it harkened back to her days as a lyrical wild card in the early 2000s before she ventured into acting and hosting gigs. 

– GRAMMY.COM