Roots Picnic made its joyous return to Philadelphia this past weekend after two pandemic-induced years away. The 2022 edition of The Roots‘ annual get-together drew upwards of 60,000 people to The Mann Center in Fairmount Park on Saturday and Sunday, per organizers.
The return of Roots Picnic was highlighted by performances from Mary J. Blige, Summer Walker, Wizkid, Kamasi Washington, Tank and the Bangas, Freddie Gibbs, and many more, in addition to hosts The Roots. The event also made sure to highlight the local Philadelphia music scene with sets by Tierra Whack and Jazmin Sullivan, among others. Since it began in 2008 at Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing with only 2,000 attendees—according to Roots manager Shawn Gee—Roots Picnic has become a beacon of Black culture, with attendees traveling from across the country to see the curated lineup.
The Roots – “The Next Movement” – 6/4/22
The Roots – “Web” – 6/4/22
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One of the many highlights of the festival came during Black Thought‘s “Mixtape Live” set. The Roots’ lead MC delivered a showcase that spanned modern hip-hop history while joined by Rick Ross and Benny The Butcher. In the free-flowing set, Black Thought helped himself to beats by the other two producers, including Ross’ “Hustlin” and Butcher’s “Johnny P’s Caddy”, piling on momentous, off-the-cuff freestyles.
In addition, Roots Picnic 2022 hosted performances from Ckay, DJ Diamond Kuts, D-NICE, Mumu Fresh, Rakim and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Chief Keef, and many more. Check out a gallery of images from the festival courtesy of photographer Sean DiSerio.
