At Rock the Bells in San Bernadino, it was a great day to be in California. Backdropped by a characteristically Californian 86-degree sun, hip-hop enthusiasts were blessed with performances from some of Cali’s best: La Coka Nostra, Cypress Hill, Evidence, Alchemist, and Ice Cube. They shared stages with Nas, Damien Marley, The Roots, Reflection Eternal, Slum Village, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Murs, Pete Rock, Raekwon, RZA, and GZA among others who rocked both stages for almost 11 hours straight.
Main stage performer Tech N9ne, who is releasing his 10th studio album K.O.D. this Fall, shared what keeps his stage show kinetic. “[You have to] keep the energy up…it has to be ‘out of this world’ because ‘out of this world’ will never depreciate.” The energy from this Rock the Bells tour has already led to a Slaughterhouse + Tech N9ne tour this October.
Ice Cube closed the show and summoned up enough West Coast love to resurrect Tupac. I knew he struck a cord when our photographer started crip-walking (no lie!). If you missed the festival, you can live vicariously through the photos after the jump
