NEW YORK — Several of Harlem’s hometown heroes will take part in the upcoming event inspired by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Oscar-winning documentary “Summer of Soul.”
Rap veteran Doug E. Fresh, R&B singer/actress Teyana Taylor and hip-hop superstar Cam’ron — all of whom hail from the upper Manhattan hamlet — will be featured on the lineup of the Harlem Festival of Culture, a reboot of the 1969 event referred to as “The Black Woodstock.”
The event is set to take place on Randalls Island from July 28 through July 30. Ticket and VIP package information can be found at harlemfestivalofculture.com.
The roster for the three-day festival will also include Wyclef Jean, Adam Blackstone, Bell Biv DeVoe, Fat Joe, Muni Long, Remy Ma, Ro James and Tink, among others.
Grammy Award-winning British hip-hop soul singer Estelle has been tapped to curate the “Dancehall LinkUp” with special appearances by Lumidee, Max Glazer, Mr. Killa, Nadine Sutherland, Nina Sky, Rupee, Serani and Wayne Wonder.
Brooklyn-born hip hop luminary MC Lyte will serve as host for the festival weekend. “HFC is definitely putting on for the city with this festival and has planned something special that I think everyone — whether they’re from around the corner, across the country or around the world — will enjoy,” the 52-year-old “Ruffneck” lyricist said with Tuesday’s announcement.
Musa Jackson, a model and media executive known as The Harlem Ambassador, is a fifth-generation Harlem native who attended the original festival and was featured in Questlove’s acclaimed “Summer of Soul” documentary, currently streaming on Hulu.
“The original event was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that I will never forget,” Jackson shared when the reboot was first announced last year.
Held in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, the original festival took place on Sunday afternoons from June to August. It featured stars of R&B, gospel, blues, Latin, jazz and soul, including Gladys Knight & the Pips, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson and Sly and the Family Stone.
