Summer Music Festival Guide

The best places to hear music in the great outdoors.

Rock the Bells, (various dates) - It’s that time of year again when the weather is perfect for outdoor listening activities. We’ve got you covered with our guide to the best summer music festivals across the globe. Up first, and followed in no particular order, is the national Rock the Bells tour. Making less stops this year, the 2-day long festival features sets from classic hip hop artists like Nas, Ice Cube, Slick Rick, Salt-n-Pepa, DMX and Eve. And they didn’t forget about the new school, with performances from J. Cole, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. Check out the website for more info and dates for shows in your area. (Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picturegroup)
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (July 9-14) - A five day celebration of hip hop music and culture, highlighting each of its expressive forms with DJ battles, art shows, dance workshops and film screenings, all culminating in a huge concert headlined by Busta Rhymes who plans to bring along some friends. At last year’s show, Q-Tip brought out surprise guests Kanye West and the rest of his bandmates from A Tribe Called Quest. With all of Busta Rhymes' collabos throughout his career, we’re betting he's got lots of surprises in store for the fans. Go here for more details.  (Photo: Courtesy blackbookmag.com)
Macy's Music Festival (July 27-28) - Who knew that Cinci had one of the best music festivals of the summer? Featuring R&B and soul acts from yesterday and today, this is a show that is sure to keep you grooving. Musical guests include this year's and the 2009 BET Lifetime Achievement Award honorees Frankie Beverly and Maze and The O'Jays along with Charlie Wilson, Eric Benet, Ledisi, Jaheim and Monica. With this lineup, Ohio should be added to the Midwest summer music fest checklist. Click here to find out more. (Photo: macysmusicfestival.com)/content/dam/betcom/images/2011/08/Music-08.01-08.15/081111-music-kanye-west-fall.jpg

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Rock the Bells, (various dates) - It’s that time of year again when the weather is perfect for outdoor listening activities. We’ve got you covered with our guide to the best summer music festivals across the globe. Up first, and followed in no particular order, is the national Rock the Bells tour. Making less stops this year, the 2-day long festival features sets from classic hip hop artists like Nas, Ice Cube, Slick Rick, Salt-n-Pepa, DMX and Eve. And they didn’t forget about the new school, with performances from J. Cole, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. Check out the website for more info and dates for shows in your area. (Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picturegroup)

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