The Roots Picnic returns to Philadelphia this weekend, marking its 18th year with its largest lineup to date and a headlining performance by rapper Jay-Z.
The two-day music festival kicks off Saturday at Belmont Plateau, where Black Thought and The Roots Crew will once again host the event.
“It’s a return to the connection, you know, between the city of Philadelphia and Jay-Z. It’s a return to the essence of what the Belmont Plateau history has always been about, like the history of Black music there, just a soulful energy,” said Black Thought, whose real name is Tarik Trotter…