4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Digable Planets, Rakim, Tha Dogg Pound lead first SF Hip-Hop Festival
The Bay Area's storied hip-hop legacy takes center stage next month with the debut of the SF Hip-Hop Festival 2025, a two-day celebration of music, technology and culture.
Scheduled to take place at the Midway on July 18-19, the festival opens Friday with 'Culture RenAIssance – A Hip-Hop & AI Symposium,' featuring legendary MC Rakim as keynote speaker.
The panel will explore the evolving relationship between hip-hop and artificial intelligence, touching on ethics, innovation and equity in music tech. Rakim will also present his new fintech and AI venture, Notes, designed to empower independent artists with financial and entrepreneurial tools.
Saturday's all-day showcase will bring together more than two dozen performers spanning eras and coasts.
Headliners include West Coast rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, marking the 30th anniversary of 'Dogg Food,' and Digable Planets, currently touring in celebration of 1994's 'Blowout Comb.'
Bay Area legends Souls of Mischief, Mix Master Mike with Invisibl Skratch Piklz, RBL Posse, San Quinn and Los Rakas will join a stacked lineup reflecting the scene's depth and diversity.
'SF Hip-Hop was founded to preserve and celebrate the rich legacy of Hip-Hop culture in our city while creating new pathways for the next generation,' said co-founder Kamel Jacot-Bell in a statement. 'This moment represents the power of our community coming together to claim space, tell our stories, and shape the future we want to see.'
