Lineup

Headliner TBA!

Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, actor and author Ashanti burst onto the music scene with her smash hit, self-titled debut album, Ashanti. It landed the #1 spot on both the Billboard Top 200 and R&B album charts, selling a whopping 504,593 units in its first week.

Artist TBA

Dubbed “the Mixtape Messiah,” Houston’s Chamillionaire arrived late as a major-label artist during his city’s 2005 takeover of mainstream rap — the Top Ten Sound of Revenge, released during November that year, followed albums from , , and former Color Changin’ Click partner  — but he had already built a loyal following outside the South and received significant print coverage. Through a prolific succession of mixtapes, Chamillionaire (born Hakeem Sediki) became known for his deep, versatile voice (he sings his own hooks very effectively) and lyrical ability. Originally part of Swishahouse, he switched to Paid in Full, where he and  collaborated on 2002’s Get Ya Mind Correct — an album that sold 100,000 copies. Prior to inking his deal with Universal, he founded the Chamilitary label and began grooming the careers of brother  and . “Ridin’,” off The Sound of Revenge, reached the top of the Billboard singles chart and was later nominated for a pair of Grammy Awards. The follow-up to Revenge, titled Ultimate Victory, was released in September 2007.

One of the most thuggish rappers embraced by the mainstream, Trick Daddy broke out of the South in 2001 with “I’m a Thug” and established himself as an unlikely national superstar. Before his breakthrough, he scored a few regional hits. In particular, he became known for “Nann Nigga” and “Shut Up,” club anthems characterized by rousing beats and rowdy lyrics. When TrickDaddy finally broke into the mainstream with the appropriately titled “I’m a Thug,” it came as somewhat of a surprise. No one questioned his talent, but his image — a trademark omnipresent grimace, bald head, prickly whiskers, forearm tattoos, and gold grill — hardly matched that of other mainstream rappers. Thug or not, Trick Daddy became a national superstar. He collected numerous RIAA accolades, including a platinum certification for 2001’s Thugs Are Us, and hit the Top Ten of the Billboard R&B/hip-hop albums chart with seven consecutive releases through 2009’s Finally Famous: Born a Thug, Still a Thug. The rapper wasn’t nearly as prolific the following decade but continued performing, releasing the occasional mixtape and EP while remaining sought for guest verses.