FEMALE TALENT AT ROOTS PICNIC

by Chris Mae & Vindhya Burugupalli 

Every year the Roots Picnic festival is hosted in Philadelphia by the hip hop group, The Roots. This year you can catch an iconic headliner line up featuring Lenny Kravitz, Meek Mill and D’Angelo with the Roots from May 31 to June 1. Celebrating the power, history, joy and beauty of hip hop Roots brings in a plethora of artists from legends to rising stars you need to see before they pop off.

We curated a list of female artists you need to see to start your summer with the best vibes!  

TEMS

Nigerian singer-songwriter, producer extraordinaire Tems will be gracing Roots with her raspy soulful vocals. Fresh off her Grammy win for the single “Love Me JeJe” from her album “Born in the Wild,” Tems is taking on the global music scene by grooving to her own rhythm. By fusing alternative R&B with neo soul music with her unique voice, she is in a league of her own. Before popping off in the R&B, soul and urban genres, Tems wrote and produced for pop stars like Beyonce and Rihanna. Experience her rich sonic universe embodying her life experiences and the culture in Nigeria at her Roots picnic set. 

SIBBY LIV

Jamaican DJ and producer known for her energizing visuals and positively addicting mixes will have you hyped just in time for the summer season. Sibby Liv hosts her own radio show online called Homebody to highlight different genres of music like: afrobeats, R&B, dance and more in a creative outlet. It feels like she is right there, putting you in a good mood whether you listen during your work from home sessions or a chill get together. When she’s not producing music, she has founded a creative agency called Lemonade & Co and curates All Spice World Dance which will be featured at Roots Picnic highlighting Caribbean Sounds during the set. See you soon siblings! 

NAILAH BLACKMAN

Also part of All Spice World Dance, Nailah Blackman is a Trinidadian singer and songwriter with a strong foundation of soca and calypso sounds found in her artistry. Bl knew her potential from a young age, it's in her blood. Her grandfather created the foundation of soca music for the next generations and she is now paving her own path from that legacy. Her recent track “Feels Like Love” was a collaboration in Toronto with OVO Sound’s Roy Woods and you can hear the Caribbean-inspired sounds throughout the track. Her vocals are smooth, her raps are versatile, and she IS the moment. Don’t miss her at Roots Picnic this year. 

DJ DIAMOND KUTS

Philly’s first female DJ to have a slot on the radio, Diamond Kuts (Tina Dunham) is coming back to Roots to play a banger set this year.  A pioneer, a visionary, Kuts is a prominent figure in Philadelphia’s music scene, DJing for the city’s number one morning show Power 99 and the weekend night shows. She started dropping mixtapes in high school and went on to tour with iconic artists such as Nicki Minaj. After conquering the Philly nightclub scene, Kuts has carved out a space for herself in the digital media scene by starring in BET’s hip hop show “The Deal” and being the face of various campaigns.  

Listen to her mixes here. 

LEE YUH NEPTUNE

Picture ocean breeze, black sand and baby blue waves,  that’s Lee Yuh Neptune’s universe in a nutshell. Describing herself as a galactic cloud mermaid, Neptune creates soundscapes that feel like you’re exploring the ocean by blending R&B, hip hop and pop with jazz. Her visuals  personify a dreamy pisces island baddie. Catch her certified island bangers at Roots picnic.