Rolling Loud’s Journey to Thailand: History of the Iconic Festival
For hip-hop and rap enthusiasts, Rolling Loud is the ultimate music festival that is on every fan’s bucket list. Lucky for us, it’s here in Thailand once again!
Since its establishment in 2015, Rolling Loud Festival has emerged as one of the world's largest and most prestigious hip-hop festivals. With a substantial emphasis on hip-hop culture, the festival has solidified its place in the global music scene through impressive line-ups, cultural significance, and rapid expansion. For nearly a decade now, this hip-hop festival has delivered on its promise of expansion year after year. Let us delve into how it all started.
Founders of the Rolling Loud Festival
Founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler of Rolling Loud were actively involved in the music scene, organizing hip-hop concerts in Florida for several years across all subgenres of hip-hop. Recognizing a lack of hip-hop shows, they set out to create an event that would bring together a multitude of artists to provide fans with an unparalleled experience. Their passion for the genre and extensive event-organizing experience paved the way for the first-ever Rolling Loud event.
Rise of the Rolling Loud Festival
On May 3, 2015, the inaugural Rolling Loud Festival took place in Miami, Florida. Originally a one-day event held at Soho Studios in the Wynwood district, it featured headline acts such as Schoolboy Q, Juicy J, Currensy, and Action Bronson. The festival drew a large crowd of hip-hop enthusiasts, showcasing both established and up-and-coming artists, ensuring its status as a pivotal platform for the genre.
Eventually, Rolling Loud rapidly expanded to other U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. In 2019, Rolling Loud made history by hosting its first international event in Australia, featuring top-charting artists like Future and Rae Sremmurd. Despite the pandemic hiatus, Rolling Loud successfully debuted in Portugal too in 2020.
With a star-studded lineup including Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Post Malone, Rolling Loud continued to attract a massive crowd of fans, marking its position as a premier hip-hop event. It’s not just a pioneer event celebrating the love for hip-hop, but it also plays a pivotal cultural role in showcasing the latest in fashion, art, and lifestyle.
For almost a decade, Rolling Loud has been electrifying audiences worldwide with its spectacular rap events, spreading this energy across the globe. Last year, it expanded into three new countries: Thailand, Germany, and the Netherlands. Then, in July of this year, the festival made its grand entrance in Austria, showcasing stars from the USA, UK, and Europe. Today, the festival is an ideal platform for internationally acclaimed artists like Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Playboi Carti.
Rolling Loud's Debut in Asia
Last year, Rolling Loud made its Asian debut with its first-ever event in Thailand. It’s no secret that it was indeed the biggest international hip-hop event Thailand had ever seen, featuring big headliners like Cardi B, Travis Scott, Jay Park, and Lil Uzi Vert along with local talents like Milli and Thaitanium. The three-day event included three stages and food from all around the country, attracting a massive crowd of 50,000 people from all over the world.
Given its massive success, the American festival made its return to Pattaya City this year from Nov. 22 to 24, 2024, perfectly timed during the winter season. This exciting event will be held at Legend Siam, Pattaya, and will showcase chart-topping rappers including New York icon A$AP Rocky, veteran rapper Wiz Khalifa, global sensations Tyla and Akon, Playboi Carti, Lil Wayne, French Montana, Denzel Curry, Rich the Kid, Tyga, Quavo, and Ski Mask the Slump God. What’s more, we’ll witness local talents like Twopee Southside, Jay Park, and Milli too.
Playboi Carti is set to lead the Sunday lineup, following performances by Gunna, Nav, Ken Carlson, and Destroy Lonely. In addition to state-of-the-art performances, the festival will provide an immersive cultural experience highlighting the vibrant local Thai culture.
Check out the full lineup here and if you're looking for a hotel in Pattaya at the last minute, then we've got a life-saving list here for you!
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