This December, rap fans from multiple generations will get the ultimate holiday gift when the Once Upon a Time in L.A. festival unfolds at Los Angeles’ Banc of California Stadium.
On Tuesday (June 22), the festival was announced, and it was revealed that Snoop Dogg, The Isley Brothers, Al Green, Ice Cube, 50 Cent, Cypress Hill, YG, The Game, Kamaiyah, Three Six Mafia, Blueface, Drakeo The Ruler, E-40, DJ Quik, King Lil G and more will be performing at the festival on Dec. 18. With sounds from across various eras of predominantly West Coast hip-hop , it looks like a fan’s dream come true.
Obviously, anyone who paid attention to rap between the 1990s and mid-2000s will appreciate seeing people like Snoop, Ice Cube and Fif hit the stage. Snoop and 50 have a couple of dope collaborations in their catalog, so if fans are lucky, maybe they’ll get to see Snoop and Fix perform “P.I.M.P. (Remix)” onstage together. Meanwhile, artists like YG and Dom Kennedy should also deliver dope performances. Looking at newer rappers, artists like Kamaiyah, Drakeo The Ruler, Ohgeesy, Blueface and more give shine to the current generation of West Coast talents.
On another note, seeing Isley Brothers and Al Green hit the stage is also exciting, and considering the way rappers have sampled their music in the past, it’s a natural, if unexpected, fit for the lineup. George Clinton, a catalyst for the G-Funk era, is also pulling up.
News of this festival arrives as the world continues to return to normal after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had kept much of the world confined since it began unfolding last spring. Now, with vaccines being available to many and concert venues opening their doors for live events, festival dates are being announced every week, with Once Upon a Time in L.A. being the latest.
A presale for tickets will begin this Friday at 10 a.m. PST and end on June 28 at 10 a.m. PST. General admission tickets for the festival will cost $159.99, and will go on sale for the general public on June 28 at 10 a.m. PST. The cost for VIP tickets starts at $255 and will be on sale on the same day at the same time.