Kendrick Lamar Announces as Headliner of Bonaroo Music Festival

Words by: Brandon Simmons

The Bonaroo Music and Arts Festival has announced its lineup for 2023. Kendrick Lamar is one of the headliners this year, along with Foo Fighters and ODESZA.

The Grammy-winning rapper’s cousin, Baby Keem, is also set to hit the stage on the event’s second night. The festival lasts four days, starting Thursday, June 15th, and ending Sunday, June 18th. Kendrick will close the show on Friday night. Tickets go on sale on Jan. 12th, and fans can choose single-day tickets (for the first time) or four-day tickets. Bonaroo will again be in Manchester, Tennessee, at Great Stage Park.

2015 was the last time the “Family Ties” rapper headlined the prominent festival.   The pgLang founder has just finished his Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers Tour at the end of 2022. It’s safe to say he knows how to put on a show. In an interview with The New York Times, he explains that he wants his performances to feel like a “hood Beethoven.”

”Hood Beethoven-that was the initial idea…now incorporate that with dance and art, and you get this contextualized, theatrical type of performance. That’s what it’s built into.”

– Kendrick Lamar

Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers was the most streamed rap album on Spotify this past year.  Four months after its May release, the album reached one billion streams, which has never been done before.  Kendrick was able to snag eight Grammy nominations at this year’s show.  He is up for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, Album of the Year, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Music Video.

Kendrick has also been already tapped to headline another festival.  He will close out the Osheaga Festival in Canada on its last day as the three-day event runs from Aug. 4th-6th.  Just like the Bonaroo Festival, the “Alright” rapper hasn’t performed at the Osheaga Festival since 2015.

You can see the full festival lineup below.

BONNAROO 2023 SuperJam, Outeroo Lineup, and late night sets to be announced!⁣
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Early Access On-Sale begins Thursday 1/12 at 10am CT Sign up for early access at https://t.co/zYsXMvHzQ6 pic.twitter.com/N05NnvApvK

— Bonnaroo (@Bonnaroo) January 10, 2023

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