Lauryn Hill, Nas, Mobb Deep & Cypress Hill To Headline Rock The Bells

There’s a shitload of artists this year around, and similar to last year’s concert the big wigs will be performing their classic albums. Meaning, Nas will be performing Illmatic in its entirety; expect the very first live performance of “Life’s A Bitch” with AZ in years to go down. Nice. Full press release down bottom.

The line-up for the ROCK THE BELLS 2011 FESTIVAL SERIES–presented by Boost Mobile in association with GUERILLA UNION and powered by BlackBerry–will feature an array of seminal and up-and-coming hip-hop artists on three stages. Headliners include Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas,Erykah Baduand Cypress Hill. See the current line-up below and look for more performers to be announced soon.

This year’s festival will head to four major North American markets. Kicking off in the Los Angeles-area on August 20 at the San Manuel Amphitheater, ROCK THE BELLS will then head to San Francisco on August 27 at Shoreline Amphitheatre. The festival moves to the east coast for a show in New York on September 3 at Governor’s Island (co-promoted with Bowery Presents, Highline, Mad Dog Presents) before wrapping in Boston on September 10.

ROCK THE BELLS featured a number of headliners performing their most influential albums in their entirety for the first time in the history of hip-hop entertainment last summer. The tradition continues this year with Ms. Lauryn Hill performing her landmark, multi-platinum selling, multi-GRAMMY winning album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill and Nas performing his breakthrough debut album Illmatic with special guests AZ, Pete Rock and DJ Premier. Nas says about performing Illmatic this summer, “For years people have been asking me to do Illmatic in so many ways, from stage plays to movies to books, but the time wasn’t right. Where music is going now, the time is right. This will be my biggest production and it only makes sense to do it on the best rap tour which also happens to be a brand I’ve built and am a partner in. Can’t wait to kill it with my comrades AZ, Premo & Pete Rock!”

Full album sets can also be expected from: Cypress Hill performing their 1993 multi-platinum album Black Sunday, featuring modern rock radio mainstay “Insane In The Membrane”; Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star performing their 1998 self-titled debut album; Raekwon & Ghostface teaming up for critically acclaimed, platinum selling Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and more.

“I am excited that this year’s Rock The Bells will continue its rich history and tradition by presenting the best and most ambitious festival programming in Hip Hop,” says festival co-founder and Guerilla Union head Chang Weisberg. “The bar has been set high and this year’s line-up will certainly stake its claim. With ten of the biggest records in the history of the genre and the freshest new talent bubbling from the underground, this summer’s Rock The Bells is another dream come true.”

ROCK THE BELLS will feature three main stages this year. The two returning stages are the ROCK THE BELLS STAGE and the PAID DUES STAGE, which will feature independent hip-hop acts that performed at the Paid Dues Festival this past April in San Bernardino and new artists-on-the-rise. Paid Dues Festival creator Murs says, “I am excited that I once again have the privilege of hosting the Paid Dues Stage. We will have the honor of showcasing some of the best talent in independent hip hop as part of the worlds largest and longest running hip hop festival… the Paid Dues stage is gonna be the one to watch this year.”

The 36 CHAMBERS STAGE is a new addition to the festival and will primarily feature members of the Wu-Tang Clan as well as artists selected by stage curator and Wu-Tang Clan mainstay RZA. A fourth stage that will also be added to most markets is the GRINDTIME NOW STAGE, which will feature battle-style performances.

Guerilla Union, the live events company behind world-class platforms including Cypress Hill SmokeOut Festival and Paid Dues Independent Hip-Hop Festival, has teamed up with a new title sponsor Boost Mobile for the eighth annual installment of ROCK THE BELLS.

“Boost Mobile has a strong history in the music community and being part of such a well-established festival further enhances that commitment,” said Steve Gaffney, vice president-Corporate Marketing, Boost Mobile. “With our handset partner BlackBerry, we look forward to bringing the sponsorship to life and giving festival attendees an experience to remember.”

In addition to the festival dates, Guerilla Union has teamed with new strategic partner House of Blues/Live Nation for an intimate ROCK THE BELLS club tour featuring select ROCK THE BELLS artists on dates surrounding the festival shows. Look for more information on the confirmed artists and routing for the ROCK THE BELLS club tour shortly.

Venues, dates and the lineup for the ROCK THE BELLS tour were announced at the ROCK THE BELLS 2010 LAUNCH PARTY on May 24 at the House of Blues Sunset in West Hollywood, CA. For the fourth year in a row, freestyle champion MC Supernatural freestyled the lineup to the media. Artists in attendance at the press conference and launch party include co-host RZA, Cypress Hill, Havoc (Mobb Deep), Souls of Mischief, Blu & Exile and Evidence.

Artists confirmed for the ROCK THE BELLS 2011 FESTIVAL SERIES include:

Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill +
Nas – Illmatic +
Cypress Hill – Black Sunday +
Erykah Badu*
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star +
Raekwon & Ghostface – Only Built for Cuban Linx +
Mobb Deep – The Infamous +
The GZA – Liquid Swords +
Immortal Technique
Slaughterhouse
Mac Miller*
Curren$y*
Souls of Mischief – 93 ‘til Infinity +
Black Moon
Childish Gambino
Blu & Exile
Fashawn
Random Axe*
Masta Killah – No Said Date +
Evidence*
Macklemore*
Freddie Gibbs
Roc Marciano

+ notes full-album sets
* notes performance on select dates only

Hosted by:
The RZA + MURS 3:16 + Supernatural

ROCK THE BELLS 2011 FESTIVAL SERIES Tour Dates
08.20 San Bernardino, CA – San Manuel Amphitheater
08.27 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
09.03 New York, NY – Governor’s Island
09.10 Boston, MA

.

64 Responses to “Lauryn Hill, Nas, Mobb Deep & Cypress Hill To Headline Rock The Bells”

  1. Hell yeah.

    yellowflesh said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:53 pm

  2. art of me thinks this would of been great 10 years ago. i guess i am old now….sheeeeeit!!!!

    old head said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:54 pm

  3. no DMV date? aw lol

    shabooty said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:54 pm

  4. Why they waiting till the summer’s over to do this shit? lol

    KEATS said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:57 pm

  5. this years line up = 8====================D

    George said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:58 pm

  6. I’m gonna throw beer bottles at Mac Miller.

    Timmy said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:58 pm

  7. Lauryn Hill shouldn’t be getting a headliner unless it’s with The Fugees. There is no question that she has the worst live show..

    TheReignMan said this on May 24th, 2011 at 11:59 pm

  8. Sick Line Up. I’m In There

    Fort Apache 163rd BXNYC said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:02 am

  9. gayyy as fuck, it isint coming to DC this year

    hater said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:03 am

  10. Epic.

    I love Rock The Bells. Summertime, beer, blunts, Hip Hop, girls & wailin’ out make for a good fucking time.

    Cali Grown said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:06 am

  11. Nas Illmatic is super dope but I have to say I’m equally charged about Mobb Deep performing The Infamous. Equally classic! Ihope Nas does Eye for an Eye with them too!

    spooky said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:09 am

  12. Too bad they don’t come to Canada

    IllicitMC said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:10 am

  13. ….And Verbal Intercouse! I wish it was coming to Chicago

    spooky said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:11 am

  14. FUCK ALL THOSE HAS BEEN MOTHERFUCKERS,THEY HAD THERE TIME.IM NOT TRYING TO HEAR NO WACK ASS CYPRESS HILL,NO WASHED UP LAURYN HILL,NAS’ WACK ASS BEATS AND CHURCH LYRICS,AND MOBB DEEPS OLD SHIT.AGAIN THEY HAD THERE TIME.

    therealMartyMackFlyy said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:15 am

  15. Fucking incredible. Absolutely no complaints from me.

    Uncle Ruckus' Nephew said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:16 am

  16. Is this show streaming?? Its not coming to my city this yr

    longterm said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:17 am

  17. i am 31 and remember rocking out to eye 4 an eye blunted as fuck in the 10th grade! sheeit time flyes. the good ole days..31 now an shit sux!!!!

    old head? said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:17 am

  18. How do I get tickets?!?!?!

    Julian said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:19 am

  19. i could of sworn i was already at the rock the bells 4 years ago, smh

    keyboard said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:21 am

  20. this*

    keyboard said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:24 am

  21. Lauryn Hill <3

    T said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:33 am

  22. Holy shit this looks like a serious lineup!

    red (You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.) said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:43 am

  23. How the fuck do you get tickets…. that lineup is ill

    Cage said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:56 am

  24. MIAMI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

    MosWundrus said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:57 am

  25. I’m excited for Nas rocking with DJ Pete Rock and DJ Premier WHOA…..

    DJ Daz-One said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:57 am

  26. @herealMartyMackFlyy…you MAD! LOL!

    OH YES!!!! said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:01 am

  27. Fuck Mac Miller, what an embarrassment…I though you had to have talent to be in Rock The Bells..

    more like Max Milller said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:10 am

  28. sooo time out no more DC? damn again with the swindles smh

    BigSheed said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:15 am

  29. LAURYN, NAS, BLACKSTAR, CYPRESS, WU TANG, SPITTA, IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE, MOS DEF, TALIB OOMMMFFGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    JAyP said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:16 am

  30. WHY THE HELL IS IT NOT IN TORONTO ANYMORE!!

    Shady said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:23 am

  31. HOLY SHIT IM GONNA DRIVE 450 MILES JUST TO SEE THIS.

    This is like a Hip-Hop head’s dream right here.

    Ol Durrrrrty Bastid said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:27 am

  32. ^Shit I’m traveling 17 hours to cali..

    Swoop said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:47 am

  33. damn, 4 stages. thats definitely going to make it harder to choose which act to see at what time especially with these stages.

    Cali Grown said this on May 25th, 2011 at 1:50 am

  34. rock the bells>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    this shit continues to impress me every year…

    but fuck, imma havta fly home from school to see this shit… why so late in the fuckin summer!?!? =/

    zany blunts said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:03 am

  35. FUCK! 4 stages?… Smh.. Paid dues was outta hand with three this year!

    12th Letter said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:12 am

  36. Yoo where can God order his tickets? Shit bout to get hectic, everyone want to attend this ill line up. Can’t wait and really hopping I will make it.

    Brooklyn 1991 said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:18 am

  37. Illmatic in its entirety would fucking epic

    yeah said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:24 am

  38. blu! finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    NutsAreBiggerThanYours said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:41 am

  39. FUCK ROCK THE BELLS! I DON’T LIVE NEAR ANY OF THOSE CITIES! :-/

    Tiiz said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:03 am

  40. thank the hip hop god

    ATL said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:12 am

  41. CHECK OUT THE PROMO VID FOR IT
    —> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzUJyYBc638
    So many dope artist under one roof

    rockdabellz said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:39 am

  42. Those going to be the only locations?

    prk said this on May 25th, 2011 at 4:23 am

  43. Nas performed Life’s a Bitch with AZ two years ago at the DC show. I don’t know why Lauryn is “headlining”? Her performance in DC was terrible and it looks like she’s had a series of disappointing performances since then. I would have liked to see EPMD or Pete Rock and CL Smooth perform one of their albums. Why no DC date this year?

    Shawn said this on May 25th, 2011 at 9:17 am

  44. no DMV? ive been waiting since last years show to see this lineup. thats so wack. why only 4 dates? and 2 in cali? get with it RTB. at least last year’s lineup was better

    RKB said this on May 25th, 2011 at 9:17 am

  45. So jealous of this billing – we’d never get anything approaching this level of quality in the UK…

    I bet Rae and Ghost do ‘Right Back At You’ with Mobb Deep, Lauryn Hill and Nas will do ‘If I Ruled The World’ together too….gutted to miss this.

    don king said this on May 25th, 2011 at 9:49 am

  46. wtf is this september bullshit….rock the bells should be in august

    yerr said this on May 25th, 2011 at 10:25 am

  47. Every thing was fine until I saw the name wac miller WTF

    Braniak said this on May 25th, 2011 at 10:37 am

  48. Should be earlier in the year but I’ll still drive 8 hours from OH to NY just to see this shit.

    Nas, Blu&Ex, Big KRIT, Black Star, Curren$y..I mean this shit is, fuckin ridiculoussss

    Illmatic in its entirety would be fuckin cuhraaaazzzyyyyy

    CAKE said this on May 25th, 2011 at 10:42 am

  49. this looks pretty epic

    Rio$ said this on May 25th, 2011 at 10:49 am

  50. Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill +
    Nas – Illmatic +
    Cypress Hill – Black Sunday +
    Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star +
    Raekwon & Ghostface – Only Built for Cuban Linx +
    Mobb Deep – The Infamous +
    The GZA – Liquid Swords +
    Immortal Technique
    Slaughterhouse
    Souls of Mischief – 93 ‘til Infinity +
    Blu & Exile
    Fashawn
    Random Axe*
    Masta Killah – No Said Date +
    Evidence*
    Freddie Gibbs

    that’s all i need, not the other wack fillers

    Rio$ said this on May 25th, 2011 at 10:52 am

  51. Greatest line-up of all time!

    Rap said this on May 25th, 2011 at 11:14 am

  52. @martywackfly, lmaooo @ the bs music b n played these dayz, dig a hole…if this line up aint real hip hop then wtf u got!!!=) yezzer bring the beat back!”)

    VivR. said this on May 25th, 2011 at 11:16 am

  53. NY …. I’M THERE!!!

    @Top5DOA said this on May 25th, 2011 at 11:42 am

  54. Why is Big KRIT in the picture flyer but not in the “official press release”?

    RussDa59 said this on May 25th, 2011 at 12:31 pm

  55. Nas and AZ did lifes a bitch together at the DC rock the bells two years ago. Shit was sick

    nasthegreatest said this on May 25th, 2011 at 2:59 pm

  56. going to ny one hell yes

    Bob Costas said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:20 pm

  57. oh yea, i forgot to mention… why is Lauren Hill headlining!?!?!? SMH

    zany blunts said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:33 pm

  58. Fuckers never come to Texas smh

    asdfghjkl said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:39 pm

  59. ROFLMFAO @ MAC MILLER BAhaHHAHAHaHHAHAHA WTF?!?!?!

    DOOWOP..NGA said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:48 pm

  60. San Francisco show, but no Chicago show??

    SMK773 said this on May 25th, 2011 at 3:52 pm

  61. why the fuck do they keep skipping out on Toronto?!!!!??

    geoffrey foster said this on May 25th, 2011 at 4:29 pm

  62. only 4 dates? this is some bullshit. they need to come back to chicago again.

    L-Train said this on May 25th, 2011 at 6:19 pm

  63. therealMartyMackFlyy ,none of those MC are has beens , you ignorant closeminded piece of crap. cypress hill, nas ,mobb deep , & laurn hill has never been wack or washed up. cypress hill, nas ,mobb deep , & laurn hill never ever make wack music like your favorite artist or any of these new school rappers . the old school will always be better then the wack ass new school you listen to . so shut you ignorant closeminded piece of crap because by fact you are wrong . the reason the old school is headlining rcck the bells because no one wants to here this new school crap. everybody rather listen to old school then new school. also you dumb ignorant piece of crap there is no time limit on someone time in hip hop or music industry at all. so shut up with bullshit ignorant loser ass new school thinking.

    james r said this on May 25th, 2011 at 6:58 pm

  64. love this shit, last year’s was dope.. fuck mac miller but otherwise i’m pumped, rock the bells is not a mac miller crowd though haha he’s gonna get ragged on so hard.. nobody excited for slaughterhouse though? they put on a dope fucking show

    illicitly ill said this on May 25th, 2011 at 11:53 pm

Site Meter