Over the past few years, April was usually the month that hip-hop heads and music lovers would make their way to Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park.
Dreamville Fest, rapper J. Cole’s NC-based music festival, officially wrapped up last year on April 5 and 6, 2025. The event attracted top performers and fans from across the world and became a signature event in the NC area.
The Dreamville Fest was originally announced in 2018, but didn’t happen until the following year due to Hurricane Florence. Since it’s kicked off, the last few years of the fest has given us iconic moments from heavy-hitting headliners like Usher, Drake, 50 Cent, Ari Lennox— members of the Dreamville Records team, including JID, Bas, Omen, Earthgang, Cozz— and more.
As many fans grieve this spring with no festival in sight, we’ll take a trip down memory lane of what made Dreamville Festival so legendary and unforgettable.
Usher’s Headlining & His Beyoncé April Fools Prank, 2023
Lil Reunites with Hot Boys; Big Tymers Performance, 2025
Big Sean’s Nipsey Hussle Tribute, 2019
JID High-Energy Performance of Stick, With Fans Moshing, 2023
J. Cole’s Public Apology to Kendrick Lamar After Diss Track, 2024
Ja Rule & Ashanti Reunite on the Dreamville stage
Ari Lennox Sultry Headlining Performance, 2023
Summer Walker Hits the Stage After Giving Birth to Twins, 2023
Erykah Badu’s Mezmorizing Set, 2025
Drake Brings OutLil Uzi Vert
J. Cole Goes Down Memory Lane for Final Festival, 2025
