After a hiatus, the hip-hop fan’s wet dream that is the Rock the Bells Festival returns to the DMV area—and it’s actually in D.C. this year. Hosted by Montgomery County–bred radio personality Peter Rosenberg and rapper Murs (whose group, The White Mandingos, plays the Friday before the festival at U Street Music Hall) the lineup goes deep—really deep—with leaders of the new school and old, including Kendrick Lamar and Black Hippy; hometown star Wale; Kid Cudi; Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt; and icons Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, and Doug E. Fresh. The obvious highlight is a 20th-anniversary reunion from Wu-Tang Clan, during which Ol’ Dirty Bastard will appear from the grave… virtually.
Rock the Bells
Sept. 28-29 at RFK Stadium
