RESPECT. Recap: Atlanta Comes Together for Epic One Music Fest

The Atlanta One Music Festival that began in 2010 and gives you such a big mix of performers. It’s known to be one of the most anticipated festivals in the A and voted one of the top three festivals “Not to be Missed” by Ebony Magazine. It provides you with amazing artist, good food, a little liquor if you’re of age and VIP sections. You can also see beautiful art, charitable giving, local and worldwide vendors. It’s definitely an event to bring the ATL together and people from all over the world.

As my partner for media, Jalan Burton, we walked up, we easily received our media wristbands and photo passes to start a travel-worthy day.

First we entered the media patio with press from outlets such as BET, Huffington Post, Bossip, CNN and more waiting for artist to step foot in front of the One Music Fest backdrop.

Artists were performing at two different stages, one called Hercules and one called Zeus. It was a troop back and forth, but we made it happen!

There was a good amount of black businesses out hustling. Selling shirts about being black and beautiful, paying homage to black activist and even $1 jewelry for the ladies.

First up were artist Tulani and Nick Grant. They were the first acts to start-up the festival. Around 2:30 the soulful and angelic beauty Andra Day hit the stage. Fans stood from the front row to the lawn as she sang some of her hits such as the hit “Rise Up.” Vibing and dancing on stage as if the song was moving her as much as it was moving the crowd.

After the amazing Andra Day leaves, there was a small intermission before the next performer. The DJ was spinning and mixing getting the crowd amp’d up for the next act. With this festival, the performances were on time.

Anderson Paak was performing next at Hercules, which was the outside stage. Walking towards the stage, fans were already going insane! Paak’s energy will be something never forgetten. There’s artists who really have a passion for their music and fans, Paak is definitely that artist! He went from performing with the mic to running to the drums and playing his heart out. Shouting out his mom while she was in the crowd with the rest of the fans. It was great to have a new profound respect for Anderson Paak and he certainly can add a new person to his fan base, me.

Anderson Paak pic.twitter.com/pAyttLIvv4

— Bri (@lil_forte) September 11, 2016

Next up was the beautiful Jazmine Sullivan. The crowd was going crazy as she came out in her t-shirt dress, white jacket and long pretty hair. Now you know how some people who can sing on the radio don’t usually sound the same live? Well that’s not the case for Sullivan, each note was hit like you were listening to it straight off the album. She came out to her 2014 single “Dumb,” with the humorous video playing in the background. Taking us back to “the old Jazmine, ” as she called it, giving us her hits from “Lions and Tigers and Bears” to “Holding You Down.” Adding a crazy twist to “Holding You Down” by mixing The Fugees “Killing Me Softly.” Singing so nicely as the crowd hits the high notes after Wyclef’s “Ayo L-boogie, take it to the bridge.” The crowd is swaying and vibing left to right like The Fugees just hit the stage. Finally, Jaz ended with her hit that made you feel what love really is with “Let It Burn.”

After that amazing set, we slid back to the media. With temperatures being 90 degrees in Atlanta, shade and air conditioning when possible was a must. We ran into one the Mob members himself, A$AP Ferg. It was pretty epic, due to him previously doing RESPECT. Mag digital cover story. So down to earth and so humble, he showed love to the RESPECT. crew. Moving on, Ferg was up next to hit the stage. Coming out to his hit single “Work,” with his smooth skeleton rib printed leather vest and shining diamond pinky ring. Then “Hella Hoes,” played and the crowd were rocking with it heavy. Of course Ferg didn’t come alone, he brought out Marty Baller in his black “baller” tee and fresh braids. They performed Marty’s “Flex“. Full of energy and jumping around Baller was hype on the stage. During the end Ferg gave homage to his late brother A$AP Yams. He performed “Tatted Angels.” “Sometimes I wish Yams was never using when we toured in UK, I knew I’d lose him,” rapped Ferg, deep into the song. Then he came with the song “Beautiful People” and to end it right he got directly into the crowd and performed “New Level.” Up close and personal, Ferg got the people hype.

A$AP Ferg & Marty Baller pic.twitter.com/GK6PRwMnDq

— Bri (@lil_forte) September 11, 2016

Ice Cube was next at the Zeus stage, which was the inside stage with seating. All the old-heads were ready, ages 35+. There were even couples vibing to Cube as if they were reminiscing on the 1980’s. “Y’all watch Straight Outta Compton? It made 200 million in the box office, but I ain’t get all that motherf***kin money,” said Cube as the crowd laughed. This brought him to rapping “Straight Outta of Compton,” and the crowd went crazy! Two guys were even rapping in each other’s face like they were N.W.A. Next thing you knew, he asked the audience to put their middle fingers high into the sky. “F*ck The Police” played and everyone was rapping while still keeping that middle finger up. Cube gave a performance that everyone was standing up for.

If you’ve seen Erykah Badu live, she doesn’t play about with her performance. She will make sure everything is good and ready before hitting that stage. The fans waited screaming “Let’s go Erykah” for some time until she hit the stage. Badu walked out so smooth and cool with her exaggerated top hat and custom leather Samo jacket. If you’re not familiar with Samo, it’s a graffiti tag developed by the infamous Basquiat. She stepped up to the stage and posed, showing the swag. The soulful beauty sung hits such as “On and On,” “Love of My Life,” and “Next Lifetime.” Hitting clean high notes and flowing so poetically whilst the crowd was hypnotized to her melody. Badu also reminded us that she’s an artist and “I’m sensitive about my sh**.”

BJ the Chicago Kid and Busta Rhymes also hit the stage in Atlanta. To end the festival, The Dungeon Family + Organized Noise perfomed. This featured Big Boi, Cee-lo, Killer Mike, Big Gipp and more. Andre 3000 wasn’t on the list, but came out with the Dungeon Family, of course. Dungeon Family had the entire crowd on their feet, especially when Outkast made their appearance together. Singing songs from “Hootie Hoo” to “So Fresh, So Clean” and Ms. Badu joined the stage with them too. This was certainly the main event of the night with all ages loving the reunion.

This festival was certainly a success and people got what they paid for. If you missed this year’s epic festival make sure you make your way to the Atlanta One Fest next year.