Nas, Chance The Rapper Set to Headline Blue Note Jazz Festival

Festival season is here. And with it also being the 50-year anniversary of hip-hop, it seems many festivals are working hard to incorporate rappers in their shows.

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On Tuesday (April 4), Blue Note Jazz Festival revealed its lineup for the fest in Napa, California. Hosted by comedian Dave Chapelle and artist-in-residence Robert Glasper, fresh off winning Best R&B Album at the 2023 Grammys, the headliners for Blue Note feature Nas, Chance The Rapper, and Mary J. Blige. Throughout the rest of the lineup, hip-hop acts such as De La Soul, Cordae, Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli & Madlib, Smino, Rapsody, and more.

In the caption for the Instagram post announcement, Blue Note emphasized their love for the connection between jazz and hip-hop.”Featuring artist in residence @robertglasper and hosted by comedian @davechappelle, the intimate festival boasts a lineup of cultural icons, all in tune to celebrate the influence of jazz on hip-hop for the past 50 years,” they wrote.

Blue Note is known for also providing great R&B, funk, soul, and other genres of music too. In accordance with this, artists like Ari Lennox, NxWorries, Gary Clark Jr. PJ Morton, Terrace Martin, and more are also featured on the lineup.

The show in Napa will also provide DJ sets and after-parties. Sets from Madlib, Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee Wee, 9th Wonder, and more will help to get attendees on their feet and moving.

The festival will last three days from July 28-30 and will take place at Silverado Resort in Napa. Three-day passes for Blue Note goes on sale Friday (April 7) at 9 a.m. PT on their website.

This announcement comes just a few weeks after Blue Note unveiled the lineup for their New York show, where the event first began in 2011. Taking place in June, the fest also features performances from Robert Glasper, NxWorries, Talib Kweli, and more. Check out the lineups for both festivals below.

Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images