Red Bull Music to Stage Festivals in Atlanta and Chicago Next Month (EXCLUSIVE)

By Jem Aswad

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Red Bull Music today announced two U.S. music festivals taking place next month: Its first-ever festival in Atlanta — featuring Teyana Taylor, Denzel Curry, Ari Lennox and others, taking place Nov. 1-15 — and a return to Chicago, which stars Lupe Fiasco, Tierra Whack, Jamila Woods and more, and runs Nov. 17-30. The festivals are distinctly hip-hop themed and, as usual for Red Bull events, reflect the musical cultures of the cities in which they’re held.

Earlier this year Red Bull announced the closure of its popular and long-running Music Academy and Red Bull Radio , but the company emphasizes that its dedication to music remains undiminished, and the two festivals announced today show its usual combination of popular but adventurous artists staging special, themed shows. See redbull.com/atlanta and redbull.com/chicago for full info.

In Atlanta, Taylor will bring her audaciously choreographed “House of Petunia” performance, Curry’s “alter ego” Zeltron returns to the wrestling ring to face Joey Bada$$, trap pioneers Shawty Redd, Zaytoven and Lex Luger discuss the city’s sound, and Coach K, cofounder of Quality Control, which spawned Migos, City Girls, Lil Yachty and more, will hold a talk about the business of hip-hop. In Chicago, Lupe Fiasco will perform his 2006 debut “Food & Liquor” in full, Tierra Whack will present “Whack Factory” — her “latest grand-scale live format” show, a formidable lineup of DJs will stage an all-night takeover of two venues, and more. Both festivals include a diverse program of art shows, panels, performances and parties; full lineups appear below.

The festival staged a typically robust lineup in New York earlier this year, with stunning performances by FKA Twigs at the towering Park Avenue Armory , a festival-opening set from Rosalía and the performances from Taylor and Tierra Whack that will be staged again in Atlanta and Chicago next month. Over the past few years the wide-ranging festival has premiered innovative performances from  Solange (at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum ), Giorgio Moroder, Anohni and Oneohtrix, James Murphy and his DFA label, and conversations with D’Angelo, Brian Eno, Erykah Badu, George Clinton and A$AP Rocky, among many other performances and happenings.