After successfully moving to a new location on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds last year, Soundset's 2017 lineup is sticking with the same mix of old, new and very new acts that has made it the Twin Cities' biggest music festival and one of the largest hip-hop fests in the country.
The 10th annual one-day marathon — scheduled May 28, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend — announced a roster this morning that includes: hot new mainstream stars such as Travis Scott, Kevin Gates and Ty Dolla $ign; longer-established hitmakers T.I., Gucci Mane, Mac Miller, Pusha T and Peanut Butter Wolf; pioneering legends Lauryn Hill, Talib Kweli and Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith with Dan the Automator); local favorites Atmosphere, Brother Ali and P.O.S.; buzzing newcomers D.R.A.M., Lil Uzi Vert, Denzel Curry and new Rhymesayers signee Sa-Roc, plus the usual class of graduating young local acts like Nazeem & Spencer Joles, ZuluZuluu and J. Plaza.
One thing not the same: Ticket prices have been bumped to $78 for general admission (compared to $68 last year) and $198 for VIP (previously $150). They go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. via the Soundset website or in person at Fifth Element, with pre-sale offers starting earlier in the week from the resident local hosts at Rhymesayers Entertainment.
After a decade-long live hiatus and an even longer recording lull since her landmark 1998 solo debut, ex-Fugees frontwoman Hill has delivered three powerful peformances at First Avenue in recent years, including a jumbo-sized set last year that ended with a moving Prince tribute.
Rhymesayers' founding flagship act, Atmosphere, is currently on tour supporting last summer's album, "Fishing Blues," but Brother Ali will have just dropped a long-awaited new album announced yesterday. RSE alum P.O.S. also just dropped a new LP.
Soundset was forced to move to the fairgrounds' Midway area last year due to construction outside its previous home on Canterbury Park's grounds, but it wound up being a positive change. The larger location allowed for bigger attendance (more than 30,000) and much easier transit options for fans in town. Now if they could just turn on a few more water faucets this year so fans don't keel over from dehydration on all that hot pavement. The video below shows off the new digs.
Here's the full lineup of confirmed acts so far for Soundset 2017:
Travis Scott, Atmosphere, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Gucci Mane, T.I., Mac Miller, Kevin Gates, Lil Uzi Vert, Pusha T, Brother Ali, D.R.A.M., Ty Dolla $ign, P.O.S, the stand4rd (Allan Kingdom, Bobby Raps, Psymun, Spooky Black), Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith and Dan the Automator), Aminé, Talib Kweli, Denzel Curry, Mod Sun, Pete Rock, Dave East, 070 Shake, Sa-Roc, ZULUZULUU, Invisbl Skratch Piklz (Q Bert, D-Styles, Shortkut), Peanut Butter Wolf, Stretch and Bobbito, Nazeem & Spencer Joles, Oswin Benjamin, Sophia Eris, J. Plaza, Monalisa, Horrorshow, Black Liquid, DJ TIIIIIIIIIIP, DJ Fleg, Last Word, DJ Keezy and Booka B. Hosted by Sway Calloway, Heather B, JPRATT and CROS One.
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658
@ChrisRstrib
