LOS ANGELES — Rolling Loud's 2023 return to L.A. will include one long-absent, controversial headliner: Travis Scott.
The popular hip-hop festival, which debuts next year at the Hollywood Park grounds outside SoFi Stadium on March 3-5, announced its lineup Tuesday. Rolling Loud California will feature Scott, Atlanta's Playboi Carti and Grammy favorite Future atop the bill, with a guest slot from New Orleans legend Lil Wayne.
Scott hasn't performed in L.A. since a 2019 date at the Forum. Rolling Loud will also mark his first local appearance since last year's Astroworld catastrophe in Houston, when 10 people were crushed to death as Scott performed onstage at the festival he founded. He had been booked for Day N Vegas in October before that festival was canceled. He was also booked for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts festival before dropping off the bill.
Scott has privately settled at least two Astroworld lawsuits, related to the deaths of Axel Acosta and 16-year-old Brianna Rodriguez.
Further down the bill, the lineup boasts some formidable female acts like Ice Spice, Kamaiyah, City Girls and Saweetie; major rap stars like Lil Baby, 2 Chainz, Moneybagg Yo and Lil Uzi Vert; and local artists Blueface, G. Perico and OhGeesy.
The festival, which also has editions in Miami and New York in the U.S. and Thailand and Portugal abroad, had previously been held in San Bernardino, California. Its return to a centrally located venue marks both the first music festival at the renovated Hollywood Park grounds, and serves as an acknowledgment of South L.A.'s history in hip-hop. The 2021 local edition featured headliners Kid Cudi, J. Cole and Future.
"Everywhere we go, we're in the heart of hip-hop for that city. Miami Gardens was where 2 Live Crew kicked off. In New York, we're in Queens, and countless rappers are from there," said Tariq Cherif, Rolling Loud's co-founder. "Going to Inglewood, it's the same scenario."
Inglewood Mayor James Butts told the Los Angeles Times in a statement, "We are ready to welcome Rolling Loud and hip-hop fans from all over the world to Inglewood over the course of this three-day event. A festival of this caliber combined with the city's rich music history is a winning combination."
Tickets for Rolling Loud California go on sale Friday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. Pacific time.
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