Now in its 16th year, the Roots Picnic, a beloved Philadelphia staple, once again staked its claim at the Mann Center in Fairmount Park. With clear and sunny skies in the forecast, folks eager to set foot on the grounds to grab a prime spot where they could unfurl their blanket or snag a bit of shade under a tree were in line early before gates opened for the day.
Amongst the few shaded spots, the Presser Stage, with its large canopy provided a place to relax, take advantage of the stadium seating and enjoy the vibes. The first act I caught at that stage was Philadelphia-based Chioke. Armed with a surprising amount of charisma, she danced, high-kicked and bounded across the stage giving an early injection of energy to get the fest started. Her low-toned honeyed vocals echoed around the space, accompanied by her own fusion of rock and R&B.
Chioke
Chioke
Chioke
Chioke
Back at the Fairmount Park Stage, Marsha Ambrosius was next up to perform. Anyone who has ever owned a radio within the last twenty years has surely heard a song she has been involved with, either featuring her own vocals, or lending her impressive songwriting skills. Marsha gave the crowd the goods they came for, reaching into her catalog to deliver several of her hits, with the crowd singing along with every word. A Marsha Ambrosius vocal run isn’t anything to scoff at however, I heard more than enough struggle notes being sung out of the crowd to last a lifetime, but it was all in good fun with Ambrosius beaming from the stage throughout the entirety of her performance.
Marsha Ambrosius
Marsha Ambrosius
Marsha Ambrosius
Marsha Ambrosius
Hot on her heels on that same stage was J. Period’s Live Mixtape featuring the dynamic hip-hop duo and bonafide hip-hop legends in their own right, Redman and Method Man. The two took the stage in front of a virtual sea of hyped fans.Counting myself amongst those fans who are still followers of both of these artists and fans of hip-hop alike anticipated this performance, and in true “Red n’ Meth’” form, they absolutely delivered. Running through songs from each of their own repertoire, as well as songs they’ve released as a pair, Black Thought would later join them onstage armed with one of his undeniable freestyles, trading bars with the rappers toe to toe. Redman’s energy through the set seemed to amplify as he fed off the appreciative and engaged crowd, while Method Man doused fans with water, smiled and laughed at their gestures from the crowd. Common, Freeway, A$AP Ferg and Bri Steves also eventually took to the stage for a collaborative set that honored hip-hop past, present and future, and was truly one of the highlights of the weekend.
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
Redman, Black Thought & Method Man
Redman & Black Thought
Redman & Method Man
Redman & Method Man
October London took his time at the Presser Stage proving that “old school R&B” has been and still is alive and well in today’s state of the music industry. Likened to soul legend Marvin Gaye and with a healthy backing by Snoop Dogg who has had his hand in championing soul music legends like Ronald Isley, Charlie Wilson and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, London, donning a powdery blue suit and dark shades, crooned into the microphone in-between sips of his drink in hand.
October London
October London
October London
Fairmount Park Stage had its own dose of singing with The-Dream. Added to the lineup late in lieu of cancellations from Tyla and Victoria Monet, The-Dream opened with his well known hit “Falsetto,” belting out the infamous high notes with relative ease and in stark contrast with the jovial yet cracked-voice singing I contributed during that set.
The Dream
The Dream
The Dream
The Dream
Smino was up next back under the shady Presser Stage dressed in pink and donning Topicals eye patches. The “Amphetamine” rapper drew a large and enthusiastic crowd that stayed engaged from start to finish.
Smino
Smino
Smino
Smino
Another heavy hitter of hip-hop, Nas, graced the Fairmount Park stage ripping through his catalog including “NY State of Mind,””It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” “Life’s A Bitch,” “One Mic,” and brought out fellow artist Ghostface Killah to close the set on a high note.
NAS
NAS
NAS
NAS
Funkmaster Flex also took to the 1’s and 2’s to warm the crowd up before Jill Scott’s performance. Various ornate floral arrangements lined the stage in preparation while Flex spun radio hits that the crowd heartily sang along to. A drone light show also appeared overhead advertising the upcoming BET Awards, which stole a little bit of the attention away from Flex’s bomb-dropping efforts.
Finally to close out Day 1, Philly’s own hometown girl Jill Scott ceremoniously made her way onstage radiating every step of the way. Her aura and stage presence beamed brightly as she moved into her set with “The Real Thing,” “A Long Walk,” and “The Way.” I have to say there’s nothing quite like hearing thousands of fans on a warm June evening screaming out “GRITTTTTTSSSSSSSS” at the top of their lungs along with Jill’s lyrics about what she had for breakfast before heading out the door to work. Black Thought also made another guest appearance to deliver some of his rhymes while Jill recounted a story about how Thought asked her if she could write the hook for The Roots’ classic, “You’ve Got Me” that transitioned nicely into that song. Tierra Whack also made an appearance alongside Miss Scott, where both showcased their rapping abilities in their new song fittingly titled “Norf Philly.” Please understand that Jill has undeniable rapping skills and will bless you with a bar or two at a moment’s notice without fail. She truly is a jill of all trades, with her set bringing the first day of the Picnic to an upbeat end.
Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Article/Images: Lesley Keller
