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2019

FESTIVAL
SPECIAL

Lil Skies is another example
of a red-hot hip-hop artist
ROLLING Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
boosting his profile at
Rolling Loud Los Angeles.

LOUD

Not Just A Festival

Lifestyle Brand Sets Trends, Goes Global

By Ryan Borba
ew music festivals have become full- “We have TV shows trying to come in to about movies, media, merchandising, you
blown media events, but Rolling Loud film for different celebrities. It’s funny that it’s won’t know what it is, it will just be a lifestyle.
is different. gotten to that level,” co-founder and fellow It is hip-hop, in my opinion.
Show-stopping stunts make head- South Florida native and 29-year-old Tariq “Initially when we started it, it was a concert
lines, like when Lil Uzi Vert leaps 20 Cherif adds. and we were considered promoters, but I re-
F feet from the front of house into the What started out as a big warehouse party ally consider us more event producers and we
crowd. in 2015 has turned into the largest dedicated focus more now on experiential and lifestyle
“We love that!” Rolling Loud co-found- hip-hop festival in the world, independently brands.”
er Matt Zingler says. “Is it a liability? Yeah! promoted with events on all four corners of The words echo similar sentiments from
Would a lot of festivals allow that? Definitely North America, a new Australia event and previous tastemakers in the live space, such
not. Do we? Yeah, because we’re more rock more global expansion imminent. as when Insomniac founder Pasquale Rotella
and roll. You gotta let it go. He’s not hurting As Rolling Loud has outgrown its single-site raised eyebrows at industry panel discussions
anybody, he’s doing his thing.” home base of Miami, it may too have out- when saying a festival’s lineup is secondary to
Tabloid dramas play out on stage, like when grown the term “music festival.” the overall experience. Electric Daisy Carnival,
Migos member Offset interrupts Cardi B’s set “Rolling Loud used to be something that we of course, went on to define a lifestyle and
with a “Take Me Back” sign to profess his love had to explain to people,” 30-year-old Zingler expand globally attracting hundreds of thou-
for the singer in their ongoing public lover’s says. “It’s defined now as a concert but what sands of fans.
quarrel. Sean “Diddy” Combs even loudly people are going to realize soon is that Rolling While the prevailing trend in music festivals
proclaimed Rolling Loud “the Woodstock of Loud is a lifestyle. And soon when you say the is in the artist-curation or boutique model
hip-hop, the hip-hop Super Bowl.” word you’re not going to know if you’re talking – with every-one from outlaw country artist

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