After a 16-year hiatus, Smokin' Grooves is sparking up again.
The revolutionary hip-hop, R&B and soul tour, which was launched in 1996 by hip-hip power agent Cara Lewis and Kevin Morrow of House of Blues, will make a comeback at Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach, Calif. on June 16. The one-day Goldenvoice festival will include an all-star urban lineup headlined by Erykah Badu, Miguel and The Roots, as well as Jhené Aiko, NxWorries (Anderson .Paak + Knxledge) and H.E.R.
Created in the '90s to counterbalance rock-heavy tours like Lollapalooza and Warped Tour, the inaugural Smokin’ Grooves offered an outlet for urban acts who were having a difficult time getting bookings as the backlash against gangsta rap and the East Coast/West Coast rivalry resulted in the deaths of high profile rappers including Tupac Shakur. The debut tour in 1996 featured Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, Cypress Hill, The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, The Roots and Michael Franti & Spearhead. ?