Following two consecutive years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and “severe circumstances”, the Made In America Festival hosted by Jay-Z has been shelved indefinitely. The annual two-day music event, which was launched in 2012, typically takes place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, over the Labor Day weekend. The festival has hosted many notable artists, including Jay-Z himself, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Coldplay, and Kings of Leon.
The 2021 edition of the festival featured headline performances by Justin Bieber and Lil Baby, with Bad Bunny and Tyler, The Creator topping the bill the following year. The axed 2023 festival was scheduled to feature performances by SZA and Lizzo as headliners. Made In America posted a statement on April 3, confirming that the event, which had been planned for 2024, would not take place, but did not give a specific reason for the cancellation.
The festival has consistently strived for accessibility, aimed at eliminating barriers through affordable tickets and location, with the executive production team claiming to be “purveyors of change.” The statement from Made In America confirmed that the executive team is “reimagining a live music experience that affirms our love and dedication to music and the work we do,” and that they “promise an exciting return to the festival” in the future.
No line-up details had been revealed for this year’s event, and the festival’s founder Jay-Z has not yet commented on the indefinite hiatus of the festival, which was the subject of a documentary in 2012 directed by Ron Howard
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