As you entered the park grounds, the sight of a massive crowd sprawling across Dorothea Dix Park was striking. A record-breaking 52,000 attendees flooded in on the festival's second day, all eager to fulfill their music festival fantasies. The sun shone brighter, and anticipation buzzed as everyone wondered how J.Cole would fire back at Kendrick Lamar, his "Might Delete Later" album, and which guest appearances were in store.
Chase Shakur kicked off the day with a smooth, melodic performance, followed by Tia Corine dazzling the Rise stage in a custom pink lace outfit, complete with a surprise gift of a teddy bear-covered purse from a fan.
Dreamville OG Omen took to the Dreamville stage, notebook in hand, to debut a new verse for the fans before delving into his old discography, including hits like "Elephant Eyez." Throughout the day, attendees were treated to performances from newcomers like Hunxcho and Key Glock, as well as legends Jeezy and Monica, all delivering sets that had the crowd jumping and jamming to beloved tunes. Dance-offs during Jeezy's set and unified vocals during Monica's set brought the crowd closer together.
Unfortunately, technical difficulties persisted at the Rise stage, disrupting Nigerian superstar Rema's set and forcing an early end.
(PC:@20one)
Meanwhile, Rae Sremmurd joined with Swae Lee took over the Shine stage, lifting spirits with high energy and captivating visuals. They had a number of hits that the crowd had been waiting for. Perfoming singles such as, “No Type”, “Swang”, “Black Beattles”, “No Flex Zone” and “Sunflower” the crowd had been hype and inciting dance circles and moshes all throughout.
As the day turned into night, The Barbs crowded the Rise stage for the performance of their queen, Nicki Minaj. The stage screens lit up with a barcode saying, “time to enter Gag City” Despite the very delayed performance and although some left for J.Cole's finale, Nicki still thrilled her Barbs with hits, impressive vocals, rap skills, and stunning set designs. “Monster, Dugeon Dragon, Anaconda, Moments For Life and Super Bass”
(PC: @frankievergara)
Finally, the moment arrived for J.Cole to take the Shine stage. Anticipation mounted as he appeared in a red jersey adorned with the number 26, symbolizing Fayetteville. Against a backdrop of Fayetteville landmarks, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform to this massive of a crowd and to shine light on OG Rappers as well as new artists who are paving a lane of their own. He also announced that he isn’t sure how many Dreamvilles he’s got left in him. This left the crowd wondering if he means his performances at future Dreamvilles or the end of Dreamville Festival in its entirety. Both options no one is ready for.
(PC:@20one)
(PC: @garrettbruce)
(PC: @themcdub)
His set featured guest appearances from Lil Yachty, Lil Durk, Benny The Butcher, 6lack, Dreamville, Jeremih, and Central Cee. Before delving into tracks from his new album, “Might Delete Later” He shared that he had been working on himself spiritually for a long time and felt that dissing Kendrick in the track didn’t sit right with him; it felt like the lamest thing he’d ever done. He even polled the crowd, asking how many were fans of Kendrick Lamar, with many responding enthusiastically. J.Cole openly admitted his respect and fondness for Kendrick. He then announced his decision to remove the song from all streaming platforms, demonstrating grace in seeking peace.
Closing with "No Role Models" and a fireworks display, Cole bid farewell to the festival, promising an even greater show for its fifth anniversary and hoping for the continued success of Dreamville in the years to come.