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Born Jermaine Lamarr Cole at a military base in Frankfurt, Germany, rapper and producer J. Cole moved with his mom and brother to Fayetteville, N.C., when he was eight months old. He started rapping when he was 12 and went on to cofound Dreamville Records in 2007 when he was 22.
“We are the label of the connected age. The creators of stories,” Dreamville Records said on its website. “Keeping a pulse on our community while exploring new sounds, new visuals, and new ways to authentically and genuinely connect with all people around the world.”
Fulfilling those ambitions of connection and immersive experiences, Cole took his dream further. Just some 65 miles from where he grew up in Fayetteville, Raleigh, N.C., has become the annual host of Dreamville Festival. Launched in 2019, Dreamville Festival is one of the largest artist-led festivals in the world.
Fans and music lovers must feel that energy as the outdoor festival has grown from one day in 2019 to two days yearly since 2022. Dreamville Festival is where the globe meets Raleigh, set in the historic public park Dorothea Dix Park, spanning over 300 acres.
The Dreamville Festival lineup has been a crowd-pleaser since its inception.
Attendees can witness some of the most prominent names in music mixed with some up-and-coming talent performing for the first time. Of course, as Cole curates acts for the show, his label mates get a chance to shine. Currently signed to Dreamville Records are Ari Lennox, Bas, J.I.D., Earthgang, Lute, Cozz, Cole, and Omen.
“If you’ve never been, imagine a large-scale multi-stage festival featuring performances from some of the biggest names in music merged with a family-style cookout where everyone feels welcome and has a seat at the table.” Dreamville Festival shares via its website. “ALL are welcome at Dreamville Festival!”
Cole started the festival off strong in 2019 with Nelly, 21 Savage, SZA, Big Sean, Teyana Taylor, 6lack, and Davido, with Cole headlining.
Taking a break in 2020 and 2021, 2022 featured Ja Rule + Ashanti, Kehlani, Wizkid, Bia, DJ Drama, Lil Wayne, Jeezy, T.I., Moneybagg Yo, Rico Nasty, T-Pain, and Wale. J. Cole and Lil Baby served as headliners.
2023 showcased Summer Walker, Lil Dirk, City Girls, GloRilla, Sean Paul, and Waka Flocka Flame. J. Cole, Burna Boy, Usher, and special guest Drake headlined the festival.
As expected, Dreamville Festival 2024 was a success. Some 2024 performers were Lil Yachty, ScHoolboy Q, Sexyy Red, Jeezy, Monica, and Rae Sremmurd. J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, and SZA shared headlining duties.
Cole’s festival has benefited Raleigh’s economy significantly.
Dreamville Festival boosts Raleigh’s economy through ticket sales and adjacent services. At its height, the festival saw sales from every state and 23 countries across four continents.
Dreamville Festival has grown in attendance and profits over the past few years:
2019: $3.8 million with 40,000 visitors
2022: $6.7 million with 80,000 visitors
2023: $145.9 million with 100,000 visitors
The festival supports a variety of enterprises, including local independently-owned businesses, artisans, muralists, community organizations, and food vendors. The City of Raleigh reports that the festival created “the equivalent of over 1,300 full-time jobs.”
In addition, the festival has boosted tourism in the city, benefiting every industry, from food to hospitality.
“The total impact figure combines festival operations with visitor and residential spending and calculates their overall total effects on the local economy,” the site shared. “The economic boost was greatest in the areas of hotel ($20.5M), food and beverage ($18.7M), and ground transportation ($9.8M).”
Dreamville Festival takes place every year on the first weekend in April. If you want to attend, check the festival website for ticket sales.