Hip-Hop Royalty Converges for Historic Festival

LL COOL J and the Black Promoters Collective will bring the prestigious Rock The Bells Festival to Newark’s Prudential Center on June 28, 2025, as part of the North 2 Shore Festival. The landmark hip-hop celebration, dubbed “Summer’s Kool,” assembles an extraordinary lineup of legendary artists including Busta Rhymes, Redman, Too $hort, Scarface, Remy Ma, and Fabolous, with DJ Kid Capri providing soundtrack for an evening that spans multiple generations of rap excellence.

The evening features a special Uptown Records Celebration curated by DJ Eddie F, bringing together influential R&B artists including Al B. Sure!, Donell Jones, and Christopher Williams for a rare reunion that honors the iconic record label’s contributions to urban music while creating a comprehensive showcase of hip-hop’s cultural evolution from its golden era to contemporary expressions.

Headlines Trending Right Now:

Hip-Hop Icons Span East and West Coast Traditions

The Rock The Bells Festival lineup represents a carefully curated collection of hip-hop’s most influential voices spanning geographical regions, stylistic approaches, and historical eras. East Coast legends like the explosive Busta Rhymes and lyrical virtuoso Redman share the bill with West Coast pioneer Too $hort and Houston’s storytelling master Scarface, creating a comprehensive representation of hip-hop’s diverse regional traditions.

“This lineup represents a remarkable cross-section of hip-hop’s rich tapestry,” said festival music director Thomas Klein. “These artists have defined distinct approaches to the art form while contributing to its evolution over decades, and bringing them together creates this powerful statement about hip-hop’s continued cultural significance.”

According to North 2 Shore Festival organizers, the event “brings together the most legendary voices in rap history for one explosive celebration of culture, community and timeless music.” This approach recognizes hip-hop’s status as a cultural movement rather than merely a musical genre, emphasizing its significance in contemporary American cultural life.

Uptown Records Celebration Honors R&B Legacy

A highlight of the evening will be the first-ever Uptown Records Celebration, curated by DJ Eddie F, which pays tribute to the influential record label that helped bridge hip-hop and R&B during a pivotal period in urban music. The segment features performances by Uptown alumni including Al B. Sure!, Donell Jones, and Christopher Williams, reconnecting these artists with audiences while honoring their contributions to contemporary music.

“Uptown Records played a crucial role in developing the sonic blueprint that continues to influence the relationship between R&B and hip-hop,” noted Sarah Thompson, programming director. “This celebration recognizes not just the individual artists but how the label’s visionary approach to urban music created lasting impact across multiple genres.”

This special segment adds historical dimension to the festival while providing context for understanding hip-hop’s ongoing evolution through its relationship with adjacent musical traditions. The reunion of these influential artists creates a rare opportunity to experience performances that connect musical past and present.

LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Preserves Hip-Hop Culture

The festival’s name, Rock The Bells, derives from LL COOL J’s iconic 1985 single and has evolved into a multifaceted platform dedicated to elevating classic hip-hop culture in contemporary contexts. Founded by LL COOL J, the brand encompasses various initiatives aimed at honoring hip-hop’s pioneers while creating opportunities for classic artists to connect with new generations of listeners.

“What makes Rock The Bells so significant is its authentic commitment to preserving hip-hop’s cultural legacy,” explained Maria Sanchez, festival director. “Rather than treating classic hip-hop as a nostalgic novelty, the platform recognizes these foundational artists as living cultural treasures whose work remains relevant and vital today.”

This approach distinguishes Rock The Bells from typical “old school” showcases by emphasizing hip-hop’s continuing cultural evolution rather than freezing it in a particular era. According to The Jersey Shore Girl, this philosophy aligns with the North 2 Shore Festival’s broader mission of honoring cultural heritage while creating contemporary relevance.

Prudential Center Hosts Festival Centerpiece

The Prudential Center, with its 19,500-seat capacity for concerts, provides an appropriately grand setting for this gathering of hip-hop legends. Located in downtown Newark at 25 Lafayette Street, “The Rock” has established itself as a premier venue for major cultural events since opening in 2007, capable of accommodating the substantial production values and audience demand associated with a festival of this magnitude.

“The Prudential Center offers exactly the right combination of capacity, acoustic quality, and location for an event of this significance,” noted venue director Robert Thompson. “For a celebration bringing together so many influential artists across generations, we needed a venue that could create the right atmosphere while accommodating the substantial audience these legends collectively attract.”

The arena serves as one of the North 2 Shore Festival’s flagship Newark venues, hosting several of the event’s largest performances. According to New Jersey Stage, the venue will feature multiple high-profile events during the festival period, cementing its role as a cultural anchor for Newark.

Black Promoters Collective Partnership Ensures Authenticity

The festival’s presentation through a partnership between LL COOL J and the Black Promoters Collective ensures that the event maintains authentic connection to hip-hop’s cultural roots while meeting the highest professional standards. This collaboration brings together artist-led vision with the operational expertise necessary to execute a multi-artist festival at arena scale.

“The involvement of the Black Promoters Collective adds tremendous value by ensuring the event serves both the artists and the culture responsibly,” said Klein. “Their expertise in presenting Black music to diverse audiences creates the perfect operational foundation for LL COOL J’s artistic vision.”

This partnership model represents an important evolution in how hip-hop culture is presented in major venues, with greater control and economic participation by stakeholders directly connected to the culture. The approach creates events that maintain cultural authenticity while delivering exceptional production values expected by contemporary audiences.

Ticket Information and Event Details

Rock The Bells Festival begins at 6:30 PM on Friday, June 28, at the Prudential Center. Tickets are available through the North 2 Shore Festival website, Ticketmaster, and the Prudential Center box office, with prices ranging from $59.50 to $179.50 depending on seating location.

The venue offers convenient access via public transportation, including direct connections to Newark Penn Station. Parking is available in the arena garage and nearby lots for those traveling by car. The downtown location provides access to restaurants and other amenities before and after the event.

Additional information about this and other North 2 Shore Festival events can be found on the festival’s official website, which includes comprehensive details about performances across all three host cities during the two-week celebration.

Headlines Trending Right Now: