It has been announced that Rolling Loud will not return for its 2023 instalment in New York. The festival’s organisers blamed “logistical factors beyond our control.” “But don’t worry, this isn’t ‘Goodbye,’ more like ‘See you later.’ We’ll be back in New York when the time is right,” they wrote in the regretful address.
Last year, the popular hip-hop festival was fraught with controversy after the NYPD asked the organisers to remove drill rappers Ron Suno, Sha Ek, and 22Gz from the bill just a day before the festival was set to kick off. The police department claimed that there would be a “higher risk of violence” with these performers on stage.
A similar NYPD intervention occurred in 2019 when the force requested the removal of 22Gz, Pop Smoke, and three other provocative drill artists. The organisers were reportedly forced into a corner, with the police department threatening the festival’s future should they not comply.
Having visited the West Coast for its Los Angeles instalment earlier this month, Rolling Loud is next set to return to Miami in July, but a lineup is yet to be announced for the event.
The full statement from the festival organisers read:
For the last few years, we’ve made some legendary moments happen in Queens.
We saw the beginning of the King Vamp era, Travis power through his full set through the pain, Carti and Uzi reuniting on stage, Nicki, 50 Cent, and A$AP Rocky putting on iconic headlining performances in their hometown, Juice Wrld’s final festival performance, and many, many more moments.
Sadly, due to logistical factors beyond our control, Rolling Loud will not return to New York in 2023.
But don’t worry, this isn’t “Goodbye,” more like “See you later.” We’ll be back in New York when the time is right.
In the meantime, we invite all of our New York fans to meet us in Miami July 21-23 for our biggest, best festival of the year.
Love you all! Rolling Loud Forever
