Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water Festival is returning this summer, with the rapper and producer performing as part of a lineup that also features Lil Baby, Chloe x Halle, Lil Uzi Vert, Tyler, the Creator, Tierra Whack, Run the Jewels, Jon Batiste, Dave Matthews Band, and more. After its first iteration in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2019, the festival has relocated to Washington, D.C. It happens over Juneteenth weekend, June 17-19. Find the lineup poster below.
Last year, Williams shared that the festival would not return to his home town of Virginia Beach due to “toxic energy” from local authorities, including the mayor and city manager. The fallout resulted from the March 2021 death of Donovon Lynch, Williams’ cousin, who was shot and killed by a Virginia Beach police officer wearing a de-activated body camera amid other disputed circumstances.
In a press statement, Pharrell Williams said:
Something in the Water is a Black solution (LOVE) for a systemic issue, and this year we are taking our celebration to a higher platform—the nation’s Capital during Juneteenth Weekend. We want to show the world that there is Something in the Water across the whole DMV and I want to continue to bring awareness to the greatness within these communities and invite large corporations to show up for the people. D.C. has always been a deep inspiration to me as a person and a musician. It is the land where Go-Go Music was birthed which has provided so much for our people. Our sponsors continue to go the extra mile to show that Something in the Water is so much more than a festival. The goodwill we generate is a defining trait of who we are. We will always have the hottest artists, but to pair that energy with these brands showing up for the community is what makes this festival a vehicle for change.
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