When it comes to great things that originate in the U.S., hip-hop and rock top our list. This weekend, over two days, two diverse headliners, Jay-Z and Pearl Jam, top the Made in America festival, a multi-genre music extravaganza held right here in Philly. So, who do you need to see? This might get you started:
Performer pick
B-Roc of New York City’s electronic duo The Knocks is excited to see Jay-Z (who closes Saturday’s show) and D’Angelo (who hits the main stage Saturday at 5 p.m.) perform.
“Something we admire about Jay-Z is his consistency,” says B-Roc. “To be doing this for as long as he has and to still be relevant is difficult. He is consistently at the top of his game. That’s something we strive for in our careers. D’Angelo is just the tightest, period. The fact that he can drop off the face of the earth, come back and continue performing as if he never left is amazing. From what we hear, his live show is similar to what the James Brown experience used to be — what else do you need to hear?”
Catch The Knocks on Saturday at 2:40 in the Freedom Tent.
Metro pick
Call him the hardest-working man at Made in America: Singer, songwriter and guitar virtuoso Gary Clark Jr. is taking time out from finessing his upcoming album to play the concert, and it’s far from his first dabble in the summer festival circuit. Clark — whose collaboration with Nas will air on ESPN’s NFL coverage this fall — has played every major U.S. festival, from Coachella to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage to Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo. He even played the White House this year!
Catch Gary Clark Jr. on Saturday at 2 p.m. on the Rocky Stage.
Philly must-see
It might be called Made in America, but it’s played in Philly — and we can’t help but root for the home team. North Philly native Jill Scott hits the main stage on Sunday, playing a set right between other can’t-misses Run DMC and Santigold.
