REVOLT WORLD is finally here and in full effect in Atlanta, GA from Sept. 22-24. Being the first of its kind, REVOLT wanted to make sure that this weekend was jam-packed with different options of entertainment, food, drinks, and all the vibes. Day one was a huge success, complete with live recordings of some of our favorite REVOLT shows and appearances from Trina, Tierra Whack, Juvenile, and Mannie Fresh. DJ Holiday, Juvenile, Moneyybag Yo, and more. REVOLT WORLD was set up to the point where all attendees could get the lay of the land and experience all that this amazing event has to offer.
Just in case you aren’t able to attend this year, REVOLT didn’t want to leave you out of the loop. Check out all of the biggest moments that took place in the ATL below.
1. The LOVE Album Listening Experience
The Love Album: Off The Grid is the fifth studio album by Diddy that was released on Sept. 15 and features appearances from The-Dream, Busta Rhymes, Nova Wav, Jozzy, Fabolous, Summer Walker, The Weeknd, Bryson Tiller, Mary J. Blige, and so much more. For REVOLT WORLD, attendees were able to listen to the album and be visually immersed in the experience. Located in the LOVE Lounge, people were greeted with a red light-dimmed space and lounge sections that you and your friends could share. There was a photo booth, a list of all the featured artists on the wall, and an incredible ambiance for your listening pleasure throughout the entire day.
2. “The Great Debate”
“The Great Debate,” which was presented by Ally, was a definite must-watch if you like hearing about hip hop from credible and talented artists that are changing the game right now. “The Great Debate” was hosted by B. Dot and the panelists included Trina, Symba, Tierra Whack, and Rob Markman. Attendees were able to watch the live recording of the one-time special and hear which rap stars made it to the top 10 of said panelists’ lists, utilizing artistry, catalog, impact, relevancy, and skill set as part of the criteria. While heavyweights like JAY-Z and Kanye West landed on multiple lists, things got a little spicy when the panelists started discussing certain differences, including how hip hop impacted each person in their own way.
Photo credit: Ysabella Lopez @respectivecollective / @y.s.a
For Tierra Whack, Lauryn Hill was deserving of a No. 3 spot. “She was singing and rapping before anyone was doing that, that’s crazy,” the Philly rhymer said. “When I was coming up, they was saying, ‘Yo, you have to choose one or the other.’ I would say, ‘What? This lady is doing both, what do you mean? She set the tone and I’m just going to follow in her shoes.’” In response, B. Dot brought up the argument that Hill only has one album in her catalog. “I love Lauryn Hill, but she put out [The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill] 25 years ago. The album leans more R&B than it does rap.”
Markman and the rest of the panelists followed that exchange by citing Hill as a huge influence in the hip hop industry. “It’s not a rap album, right? It is absolutely a hip hop album. Even when she’s singing ‘Everything is Everything,’ it’s over Wu-Tang beats, and when she’s singing ‘Killing Me Softly,’ it’s over hard beats like ‘Bonita Applebum.’ That’s as hip hop as hip hop f**king gets,” Markman opined.
3. “Drink Champs“
N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s live conversation was something that everyone showed up and showed out for. For special guests, the hosts were joined by Louisiana natives and hip hop legends Juvenile and Mannie Fresh. The four discussed the new projects that the Cash Money Records alums are currently working on, celebrated the recent release of B.G. from prison, and expressed how N.O.R.E. was one of the first New York artists that embraced the Hot Boys.
Later on in the discussion, Juvenile and Mannie Fresh talked about the moment when a certain Brooklyn G.O.A.T. remixed the infamous track “Ha” without anyone at Cash Money knowing. Mannie stated, “Juve a hip hop head. He knows everything. He knows KRS-One, JAY-Z, all of them. But Baby and them are strictly Cash Money. They didn’t care about anything outside of our city.”
Ysabella Lopez @respectivecollective / @y.s.a
The legendary beatsmith continued, “I knew that s**t was on a whole other world. It was so generic, and he set that b**ch back. We didn’t ask him to do it or anything. It was like a surprise.” Mannie also explained how said remix was sent straight to Universal Records, revealing that the label giant initially requested the instrumental for “Ha” without confirming who the beat was for. As it also turned out, the updated release helped JAY-Z get more exposure in the South.
4. REVOLT Trivia
Brii Renee, one of the hosts of REVOLT’s “Black Girl Stuff,” gave attendees the chance to win some cool prizes by testing to see who is a true fan of the network with some trivia. Lucky guests were called to the main stage and given a list of questions in regard to “Caresha Please,” REVOLT’s initial launch, N.O.R.E. during his pre-“Drink Champs” days, and more. If the contestant was able to answer correctly, then they would win a big prize. Who doesn’t like free stuff?
5. Uncle Luke
As the sun began to set, the party turned up for those looking to dance all night. The first performer to keep the crowd entertained was rapper, record executive, and actor Uncle Luke, who you may know from his days with 2 Live Crew. The Floridian legend really had the crowd jumping with ’90s-era hits like “It’s Your Birthday” and “Raise The Roof.” Simply put, a time was had. Luke was able to hype up attendees in the best way, bringing nostalgia for all who appreciate authentic old-school hip hop.
6. Hip hop 50 performance
Hip hop literally changed the world after a half century, and it would be remiss to not hear from Down South contributors of the artform. Pulling double duty after their aforementioned “Drink Champs” sit-down, Juvenile and Mannie Fresh lit the stage on fire with renditions of classics like “Back That Azz Up.” Fresh added to the overall energy with hits like Big Tymers’ “Project B**ch” and “Get Your Roll On.
Ysabella Lopez @respectivecollective / @y.s.a
7. Moneybagg Yo
For day one’s grand finale, Moneybagg Yo took to the stage as the headliner. The Loaf Boyz member did not disappoint and had all the vibes. You could see the crowd chanting their favorite lines from songs like “Said Sum,” “Time Today,” and “U Played.” Adding to the special occasion was the fact that MoneyBagg Yo was also celebrating his birthday, and attendees made sure to sing “Happy Birthday” to the Tennessee star in response.