Cousinz Festival is proof that Virginia is for lovers.
In its second installment, the event, held in Norfolk, Virginia, featured heavy-hitting headliners, including Lil’ Kim, T-Pain and Jeezy; however, the festivities were about much more than the music. It was a place for the collective to commune, whether you had roots in the state or traveled in from out of town; it was a reflection of family love often displayed at backyard cookouts or the annual family reunion, which is why naming it Cousinz Festival was a win.
What is Cousinz Festival?
Curated by Virginia natives Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton, Nathaniel “Fam-Lay” Johnson, and business manager Antonio Dowe, Cousinz Festival initially launched in 2024, with just two months of planning. This time around, Fam-Lay shared that the planning began 12 months in advance. The difference was evident through activations like the green box, located in the festival’s link-up spot, which paid homage to a staple for Black people, particularly among the youth, who would use a neighborhood transformer box as a meeting area to laugh, chat, play and often socialize.
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Other key details included a brand aesthetic curated by Have A Good Day, a multidisciplinary brand studio based in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach neighborhoods. From affirming messages like “Cuz you look so good” to cultural questions like “Who made the potato salad?” little touches like these were a driving point to the community, which Fam-Lay noted is the festival’s key mission…