Usher, Ms. Lauryn Hill, & TLC To Headline Inaugural ‘Lovers & Friends’ Festival
“Tell me again can we be lovers and friends,” Usher sang on the hook of Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz 2004 single “Lovers and Friends” featuring himself and Ludacris.
Fast forward to 2020, and the three R&B and hip-hop artists will be headlining a festival that’s named after the popular hit alongside Ms. Lauryn Hill and TLC.
The Lovers & Friends festival takes place on Saturday, May 9, 2020, at The Grounds at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.
A myriad of R&B and hip-hop heavyweights, new and old, will also be performing at the festival, including Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, Megan Thee Stallion, Nelly, Sean Paul, T-Pain, Lil Kim, Brandy, Monica, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Ginuwine, Saweetie, Twista, and Trick Daddy, among others.
However, “questions about the veracity of the Lovers & Friends lineup are giving some fans pause,” as the Los Angeles Times reports. Several fans have noted that a handful of major acts that appear on the festival’s flier (which has been circulating social media) appear to either be booked at different shows across the country that day or have denied being booked for the festival.
Both Megan Thee Stallion and T-pain have previously scheduled performances at Broccoli City Fest in Washington D.C. and Miami’s Rolling Loud. Lil Kim, Mase, and Twista have previously posted on social media that they weren’t actually booked to perform at the SoCal festival. However, Lil Kim took to Instagram on Wednesday night (Feb. 19) to say that thanks to Snoop Dogg she will now be performing.
“THE CHECK HAS CLEARED! Thank uncle @snoopdogg guys cause if it wasn’t for him this would not be happening but y’all know how much I love Cali and Uncle Snoop,” Kim wrote in the caption of her post. “See y’all May 9th, 2020 @loversandfriendsfest Tickets on sale TOMORROW‼️”
Twista has also now commented on the festival’s posting of the flier alluding that he will be performing. “Locked and loaded playin’ all the hits ya diggg,” the Chicago rapper commented.
The festival is an example of the current demand for retro R&B and hip-hop acts. Tickets for the Lovers & Friends festival go on sale Friday (Feb. 22) at 10 a.m. PST. The presale starts Thursday (Feb. 21) at 10 a.m. PST via the festival’s website. Prices start at $145.
