Philly: Roots Picnic

I’m typing this sad and exhausted, but I wanted you guys to hear about my wonderful weekend before the details got blurry on me. At this point, many things are blurry…lol. So, this review is part Philly and part Roots Picnic. Both deserve a deeper dive, but I don’t have it in me. And, be sure to follow me on TikTok.

When I initially told friends that I was going to Philly for the Roots Picnic, I was met with much criticism. Many were concerned about my safety. Which is valid. And, yes, there was a massive shooting while I was there. I was not in the area, and I’m so glad I wasn’t. Based on our talks with the Uber drivers, many are emotionally damaged from the increase in violence. One even compared it to Chicago. And, FYI, if you use an Uber or Lyft while you’re traveling, please be nice to your drivers. Our first driver, Maria, was literally shaken by the time she picked us up due to her previous ride. She thanked us for listening to her vent, and said that our presence helped her make it through the night. We got you boo!

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The one thing I always wanted to see in Philly was the guys who ride ATVs down the street like in the DMX video. Guess what! I saw them, but couldn’t get my phone out fast enough to record it.

Now, we stayed at Club Quarters hotel on Chestnut street. It’s the perfect location. Also, from the airport, you can catch a train that goes straight to the hotel. You’ll get off at the Suburban station. Make sure to keep your ticket, so you can get out of the train station. From the airport, the ticket was only like six bucks, versus the Uber is around $30. The only complaint I had about the hotel was the thin walls. You can hear everything someone says and do.

The Roots Picnic was created a few years about by the Roots crew and has crowds that range up to 60,000 people. The festival used to be a one day event, now it’s two days. I’m glad I was one in the number. The acts included Rick Ross, Keshia Cole, Jazmine Sullivan, Mary J. Blige, and Summer Walker. The second day’s lineup wasn’t as good as the first day. There was also a DJ stage and a Podcast stage. The DJ was lit. It literally felt like a club. The podcast Whoreable Decisions were there and they did not disappoint. Overall, they did a great job with organization. However, they needed to try harder with sound production. If you were at the back, you could barely hear the backup singers. Many of the performers were not on time, but we sang and danced all night anyway. I only saw like two guys in hoochie daddy shorts, so that was disappointing.

If you’ve seen the movie, “Urban Cowboys,” you’ll know how excited I was to see them waiting outside of the festival. It’s real, and I’m so proud of them. Most of the riders were between 12 and 15 years old. Even though we didn’t ride, we donated. They deserve it!

If you trust it, there were some guys grilling and selling plates outside of festival. It smelled really good, but I gotta be careful with what I eat.

If you decide to attend a music festival, there are a few things you should know: