Rock the Bells 2007 Hip Hop Festival | Lineup and Dates Announced

photo by The Chris That Eats Like A Meal

Any hip hop fans out there?

I’m a bit out of the loop on recent hip-hop trends as I have largely succombed to a rock-oriented live music existence over the past 7-8 years. But when I saw the lineup announcement for the Rock the Bells hip hop festival, I was in awe at just how many big names in hip-hop’s past and present were represented:

Wu-Tang Clan
Rage Against The Machine
Nas
Cypress Hill
the Roots
Public Enemy
Mos Def
Sage Francis
EPMD
Jedi Mind Tricks
Immortal Technique

So far, this “world class hip hop platform” (as the main site describes it) is slated for three dates this summer:

Sat 07/28/07 @ Randall’s Island, New York, NY
Sat 08/11/07 @ the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, CA
Sat 08/18/07 @ the Covey Cove Parking Lot in San Francisco, CA

Also, there are some additional artists that will make appearances at one or more stops:

MF Doom
FELT
Hieroglyphics
Living Legends
Blackalicious
the Coup
Murs
Brother Ali
Cage
Mr. Lif
Grouch & Eligh
Hangar 18
Bluepring
Lucky I AM

Some of these names take me way back to my early music-buying days…Public Enemy? EPMD? Cypress Hill? I’d be curious to see what these groups sound like these days. And I’d be remiss not to mention the addition of the reuniting Rage Against the Machine, which adds an interesting dimension to the lineup.

Believe it or not, I grew up on hip-hop. The majority of my first tapes and CDs were hip-hop until I was about 14-15 and started to branch out more into rock (a trend further advanced by my picking up the guitar). I don’t know if I’m quite ready to make the plunge back into the hip-hop world, but something like this might be a cool way to do it.

Anybody been to previous Rock the Bells festivals?

March 27, 2007 | by whitperson | Festivals

http://www.theconcertgoer.com adam libman

this is going to be a great concert!!!! I’m going for sure. the energy is going to be crazzy!!
http://www.theconcertgoer.com adam libman

this is going to be a great concert!!!! I’m going for sure. the energy is going to be crazzy!!
http://snackle.us luke

hip-hop head here, this is a godsend :) aside from a few east coast gyps (mainly nas & doom) this will be phenom. heading out west to catch the other 2 dates to close out the summer….should be fun :)
http://snackle.us luke

hip-hop head here, this is a godsend :) aside from a few east coast gyps (mainly nas & doom) this will be phenom. heading out west to catch the other 2 dates to close out the summer….should be fun :)
http://myspace.com/dufurst DJ Dufurst

Yo, I went to rock the bells 2005. It was the biggest f*cking concert I’ve ever been to. The lineup was raw and they kept it live the whole time! My biggest concert experience, no doubt and it taught me a lot about the music.

2006′s Line up was even better! My favorite group, The Living Legends, would be performing there, I was hooked and ready to go! But there was a group of about 35 people, including myself, that did not attend. The reason being was, Rock the Bells was sponsored by corporate companies like Sleep Train. What happened to being independent? Secondly, it was called “Rock the Bells, the Bay” but it was held at a horrible venue on the other side of California, wuuuht? Where’s our love at? Ya’ll probably couldn’t care less, but that’s how it went last summer…

Our mindstate here is; “It ain’t no show if it ain’t here in Frisco.” It has stayed that way and finally, Rock the bells is coming back to the bay in August, here in San Francisco! It’s something I will refuse to miss! The lineup contains legendary acts that I’ve been wanting to see for years and this time they’ve put it together for sure!

As a company, I understand Guerilla Union’s gotta do what they gotta do. They got the power to “Bring the Noize!” So as long as I’m paying $95 (damn that’s high!) for a show that’s at my home, with the propper bay energy that we need. Then it’s a guaranteed sureshot, mark my words ya’ll… “I’m there!”

-CKUF EHT ETAROPROC DLROW!
http://myspace.com/dufurst DJ Dufurst

Yo, I went to rock the bells 2005. It was the biggest f*cking concert I’ve ever been to. The lineup was raw and they kept it live the whole time! My biggest concert experience, no doubt and it taught me a lot about the music.

2006′s Line up was even better! My favorite group, The Living Legends, would be performing there, I was hooked and ready to go! But there was a group of about 35 people, including myself, that did not attend. The reason being was, Rock the Bells was sponsored by corporate companies like Sleep Train. What happened to being independent? Secondly, it was called “Rock the Bells, the Bay” but it was held at a horrible venue on the other side of California, wuuuht? Where’s our love at? Ya’ll probably couldn’t care less, but that’s how it went last summer…

Our mindstate here is; “It ain’t no show if it ain’t here in Frisco.” It has stayed that way and finally, Rock the bells is coming back to the bay in August, here in San Francisco! It’s something I will refuse to miss! The lineup contains legendary acts that I’ve been wanting to see for years and this time they’ve put it together for sure!

As a company, I understand Guerilla Union’s gotta do what they gotta do. They got the power to “Bring the Noize!” So as long as I’m paying $95 (damn that’s high!) for a show that’s at my home, with the propper bay energy that we need. Then it’s a guaranteed sureshot, mark my words ya’ll… “I’m there!”

-CKUF EHT ETAROPROC DLROW!
d ball hew len

I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS FESTIVAL WILL BE OFF THE HOOK AND TREMENDOUSLY TIZZGHT. I WENT TO THE PAID DUES FESTIVAL WHICH WAS SICK. AND I HOPE THAT A LOT OF THOSE OTHER BANDS THAT ARE NOT HEAD LINERS TO APPEAR. THAT WOULD BE SO PERFECT. IM OUT. FROM THE MID WEST. TO THE FAR WEST. HERE WE COME CUZZ
d ball hew len

I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS FESTIVAL WILL BE OFF THE HOOK AND TREMENDOUSLY TIZZGHT. I WENT TO THE PAID DUES FESTIVAL WHICH WAS SICK. AND I HOPE THAT A LOT OF THOSE OTHER BANDS THAT ARE NOT HEAD LINERS TO APPEAR. THAT WOULD BE SO PERFECT. IM OUT. FROM THE MID WEST. TO THE FAR WEST. HERE WE COME CUZZ
sexual healing

id go just for MF DOOMILE luv x
but its gonna be danm crazy with the WU-Tang and the heiro crew and murs danm thats dope.plus eric and parish making dollars hell yeah.
sexual healing

id go just for MF DOOMILE luv x
but its gonna be danm crazy with the WU-Tang and the heiro crew and murs danm thats dope.plus eric and parish making dollars hell yeah.
LOVELYPEACHES

fuuuuuuuuuuuK YEA!!!! THIS ROCK THE BELLS IS GOING TO KICKASSS…. I CAN WAIT TO GET ME SOME TICKETS…. IM SO WET PANIED’ OUT JUST TYPING ALL THIS CRAP INTO COMMENT BUT ANYWAYS, tHIS CONCERT IS GOING TO BE RAW!!!!! BUT. I HAVENT SEEN HEIRO PLAY EVER SINCE I WENT TO COCHELLLA THEY PUT A BAD ASS SHOW….
LOVELYPEACHES

fuuuuuuuuuuuK YEA!!!! THIS ROCK THE BELLS IS GOING TO KICKASSS…. I CAN WAIT TO GET ME SOME TICKETS…. IM SO WET PANIED’ OUT JUST TYPING ALL THIS CRAP INTO COMMENT BUT ANYWAYS, tHIS CONCERT IS GOING TO BE RAW!!!!! BUT. I HAVENT SEEN HEIRO PLAY EVER SINCE I WENT TO COCHELLLA THEY PUT A BAD ASS SHOW….
Lysa

I need 2 VIP tickets for NY show…HELP!!!
Lysa

I need 2 VIP tickets for NY show…HELP!!!
Lysa

Contact me at BellaNY1978@yahoo.com
Lysa

Contact me at BellaNY1978@yahoo.com
April

me and my friends are comin down in San Fran and were all the way from Canada.. dannng can’t wait…
April

me and my friends are comin down in San Fran and were all the way from Canada.. dannng can’t wait…
Christine

I just got tickets to go! Frisco here I come. Coming all the way from Canada! Can’t wait
Christine

I just got tickets to go! Frisco here I come. Coming all the way from Canada! Can’t wait