After energizing the USA Water Polo teams as the official hypeman at the Paris Olympics, Flavor Flav is set to return to the Bay Area with his iconic group, Public Enemy, for a special music festival. The legendary rap group, known for their groundbreaking album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, will headline Hip-Hop 101: From New York to the Bay on November 9 at the Oakland Arena.
Joining Public Enemy on stage will be hip-hop heavyweights Cypress Hill and De La Soul, both of whom have left an indelible mark on the genre. Cypress Hill brought Latin influences into the mainstream, while De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising became a blueprint for alternative hip-hop with its creative sampling and thought-provoking lyrics.
The festival lineup also features hip-hop icons Eric B & Rakim, Dilated Peoples, and Bay Area legends Too Short and Mistah F.A.B. Too Short, a pioneer of West Coast rap, is expected to perform hits like “Don’t Fight the Feelin’” and “Blow the Whistle,” continuing his decades-long influence on the charts.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, August 16, at 10 a.m. via Live Nation, with a presale starting Wednesday, August 14, using the code CREATE. This event follows the celebrations of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, promising a night that honors the genre’s rich history.
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