In a statement released this afternoon, Rolling Loud announced that the festival would not return to New York City this year.
“Sadly, due to logistical factors beyond our control, Rolling Loud will not return to New York in 2023,” reads the statement released on the festival’s social accounts. “But don’t worry, this isn’t ‘goodbye,’ more like ‘see you later.’ We’ll be back in New York when the time is right. In the meantime, we invite all of our New York fans to meet us in Miami July 21-23 for our biggest, best festival of the year. Love you all! Rolling Loud forever!”
Rolling Loud has been the biggest rap festival since it hit the scene in 2015.
Patrons traveled to Miami to see their favorite artists for the inaugural two years until the festival blew up and grew legs of its own. Rolling Loud would eventually hit towns like Oakland, San Bernadino, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia, before finally landing in New York City in 2019.
But the festival wouldn’t hit the Big Apple without some controversy.
In 2019, the late Pop Smoke was banned from performing when the festival hit his hometown, along with fellow rappers 22Gz, Sheff G and Casanova.
A letter from an assistant chief at the NYPD explained at the time that they “had been affiliated with recent acts of violence citywide.” It continued: “The New York City Police Department believes if these individuals are allowed to perform, there will be a higher risk of violence.”
In 2021, before entering the festival grounds of Rolling Loud New York, rapper Fetty Wap was arrested on federal drug charges at New York’s Citi Field for conspiracy to distribute hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.
In 2022, at the request of Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Police Department, Brooklyn’s 22Gz was banned for a second time, along with Bronx natives Sha Ek and Ron Sunon, based on a potential for violence.
Based on the past few years, it seems that Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD have decided to ax the festival entirely. However, based on the post, organizers seem hopeful for Rolling Loud’s future in New York, so we’ll see what 2024 has in store!
Fans have championed Rolling Loud’s NYC stop as the best stop only second to Miami. Past headliners have included Nicki Minaj, Future, A$AP Rocky, and 50 Cent.