Rock the Bells Festival 2025 Festival Returning in June

The Rock The Bells festival is back, and this time they’re hitting New Jersey. The LL Cool J-owned classic rap showcase announced their June 28 Class of 2025 event at Newark’s Prudential Center, with performances from Busta Rhymes, Redman, Eric B. & Rakim, Remy Ma, Too $hort, Scarface, Plies, Boosie, Fabolous, Lil’ Mo, and others. Roxanne Shante will host the event, while Kid Capri will be the show’s official DJ. Presale tickets are available from April 23 to 25, when general public tickets go on sale.

Along with individual sets, Rock The Bells will have an Uptown Records Celebration, curated by famed DJ Eddie F and featuring acts such as Al B. Sure!, Donell Jones, Christopher Williams, and Soul For Real. The Andre Harrell-founded label, which provided the first music industry opportunity for impactful yet controversial hip-hop mogul Diddy, is celebrating its 29th anniversary this year. 

“Rock The Bells has always been about the elevation, preservation, and innovation of Hip-Hop,” says LL Cool J. “Class of 2025: Summer’s Kool is more than a festival — it’s a cultural homecoming. We’re celebrating the artists who built the foundation and the new voices pushing it forward, all in one night. This is Hip-Hop in its full glory — past, present, and future.”

Along with the Festival in New Jersey, the Rock The Bells Cruise will be setting sail in October, hosting the final shows for North Carolina duo Little Brother.