JULY – ,
MUSIC FESTIVAL
WELCOME TO THE MUSIC CELEBRATION!
P&G is excited to be celebrating its 11th year as a Presenting Sponsor of the Cincinnati Music Festival, and bringing you an incredible music line-up and fun brand experiences - be sure to visit them all throughout the stadium.
We are also offering a endees a chance to win select P&G brand products by participating in sweepstakes, brought to you by P&G Good Everyday. Scan the QR Code below for an entry to win.
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 2025 Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G!
We’re so glad to have you back in the Cincy Region for one of the biggest weekends of the year. Thanks to you, the Cincinnati Music Festival has grown into one of the top music events in the country, and this year’s celebration promises another unforgettable experience.
For decades, Cincinnati has brought people together through music, community, and culture. The festival is about more than just performances. It is about celebrating the power of diversity and shared experiences. That spirit drives our commitment to Inclusive Hospitality, which means making sure every visitor feels genuinely welcomed and valued.
weekend.
• Visit Cincy Marketplace on Fountain Square | July 24–27 Shop from local and minority-owned vendors, artists, and creators. Whether you’re looking for
• Queen City 5K at The Banks | Saturday, July 26 at 8 a.m. Start your morning with a scenic run or walk along the Ohio River. Proceeds support scholarships and opportunities for local youth.
sure to explore our restaurants, museums, shops, and neighborhoods. And do not miss the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, July 26 at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center. It’s a powerful tribute to the artists and trailblazers shaping American music.
We’re grateful you chose to spend your weekend with us and hope you enjoy every moment of your time in Cincinnati.
Sincerely,
Julie Calvert President and CEO
Visit Cincy
Julie Kirkpatrick President and CEO MeetNKY
AsyourHamiltonCountyBoardofCountyCommissioners,we’re thrilledtowelcomeyoutoHamiltonCountyforthe2025Cincinnati MusicFestival,oneoftheregion’smosticonicandbelovedevents. Yourpresenceheremakesabigdifferencetoourlocaleconomy andprovidesmeaningfulsupporttoourlocalrestaurants,shops, andhotels.
Whileyou'reenjoyingthefestival,don’tmissthe2025Cincinnati BlackMusicWalkofFameInductionCeremonyonSaturday,July 26atnoon.JoinusattheAndrewJBradyMusicCenteraswe celebratewithaFREEperformancesbyBiggRobbandReginaBelle andunveilthe2025WalkofFameStars:
Wehopethisweekendleavesyouinspiredandfilledwith unforgettablememories.Thankyouforbeingpartofwhatmakes thisweekendsospecial!
MEET THE BOARD
Assistant Superintendent of Community Engagement for Greater Cincinnati Water Works
Former Cincinnati Mayor and Ohio State Representative
Cincinnati Vice Mayor
Vice President of Global Skin & Personal Care Brand & Consumer Insights at Procter & Gamble JULIE
President & CEO of meetNKY | Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau
Executive Director, Cincinnati Experience
Visit Cincy Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Manager
CEO & Co-founder of Game Day Communications and President of Cincinnati Fear Professional Esports Team
Portions of this program’s content provided by Cincinnati Music Festival were created using AI
ANDREA WILKERSON
JACKIE REAU
HEADLINE THURSDAYHERE
SCARFACE
Rapper Scarface was born Bradley Jordan on November 9, 1970. He is originally from the South Acres neighborhood of Houston, Texas. He was an early member of the Southern rap group The Geto Boys and still maintains ties with them, though he has been a solo artist since1991. Even if he has never scored any national hits or stormed up the Billboard charts with any of his numerous albums throughout the ‘90s, no one could question his clout throughout the South. He has managed to define what it meant to be a Southern thug rapper years before anyone even coined the term Dirty South. This became glaringly evident in the late ‘90s when a massive wave of young MCs arose from Houston, New Orleans, and Memphis emulating his style of hard-boiled, ghetto-bred, straight-up hardcorerapping.
GOODIE MOB
Consisting of Big Gipp, Cee-Lo, Khujo, and T-Mo, Goodie Mob first formed in 1991 as a vital part of the hip-hop collective known as The Dungeon Family, led by the multi-platinum selling production team, Organized Noize. Under Organized Noize, the Goodie Mob became one of the few Southern-based rap groups to gain nationwide notoriety in the 90s. Most importantly, Goodie Mob is one of the few Southern rap groups aside from Outkast and the Geto Boys to earn respect from Hip-hop’s fickle fans and critics who count their 1995 debut, Soul Food, as among the genre’s best albums ever. Their catalog, which consists of the power-packed LPs, Still Standing (1998), World Party (1999), One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show (2004), and Age Against the Machine (2013), is still reaching across the generations to inspire both young and old, alike.
THE SUGARHILL GANG
In 1979, the Sugarhill Gang—Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright, Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien, and Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson—crashed through the walls of the urban cities and into the mainstream of society with the first worldwide rap hit, “Rapper’s Delight.”
Sugarhill Gang is believed by many to be the Delight” eventually selling over 8 million copies and becoming one of the biggest selling rap
The group has also released such hits as “Apache,” “8th Wonder” and “Living in the Fast Lane.” In 2005, they teamed up with Henry “Hen Dogg” Williams to perform as Rapper’s Delight Featuring Wonder Mike and Master Gee. Sugarhill Gang’s lineup changed again upon Jackson’s tragic death in 2014.
Today, the group’s members are Wonder Mike, Master Gee, Hen Dogg, DJ T-Dynasty, and Ethiopian King. With every performance they continue their tradition of creating a party atmosphere that makes everyone dance the night away for sold out crowds throughout the world.
YOUNG MC
Rapper Marvin Young grew up middle-class and earned a degree in economics from USC, where he met Michael Ross and Matt Dike, co-founders of the fledgling Delicious Vinyl rap label. He made his debut as Young MC on the single “I Let ‘Em Know.” In 1989, Young collaborated with Tone-Loc on “Wild Thing,” the first top ten pop hit for a black rapper, and the follow-up smash “Funky Cold Medina.” Young stepped out on his own later in the year with the top ten smash “Bust a Move,” a good-natured examination of romantic successes and failures spiced by his sense of humor and quick-tongued rapping. The song won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance, and its strong pop appeal helped the attendant album, Stone Cold Rhymin’ , go platinum. The follow-up, “Principal’s Office,” was a humorous, everyday high-school tale resembling a Chuck Berry plot, and climbed into the top 40.
AARP
Getaway
FRIDAY
EARTH, WIND & FIRE
Earth, Wind & Fire are a music institution. In 1969, music legend Maurice White birthed the music force named after the elements from his very own astrological charts. They’ve scored eight number one hits and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. They’ve released 23 albums; eight of those albums went double platinum and hit the top 10, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time. They’ve won an impressive nine Grammy Awards including one for Lifetime Achievement in 2012. In 2000, Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing their lasting impact on popular music and, in 2019, their contributions to arts and culture was acknowledged in Washington DC with the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.
The music of Earth, Wind & Fire is more alive than ever as they continue to inspire new audiences and thrill those who have been with them from the beginning. Like the elements in their name, Earth, Wind & Fire’s music has withstood ever-changing trends in the world and shows no sign of vanishing as they continue to create joy and uplifting music that will forever reach a sacred universal atmosphere. From the funky and infectious “Let’s Groove” to the timeless dance classic “September” to the heartfelt “Reasons,” Earth, Wind & Fire’s catalog of hits has become the soundtrack to many lives; now, then and forever.
The Cincy Region is where culture unites and culture invites. Located where the Midwest meets the South, Cincy is where live music complements outdoor murals, history meets innovation and a classic coney dog stands on its own among an innovative, bustling local dining scene. While here for the Festival, shop with local vendors at Visit Cincy’s Marketplace on Fountain Square and tour a bourbon distillery along The B-Line® in Northern Kentucky. Don’t miss the new and award-winning, Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center. Find your Cincy Culture.
FOUNTAIN SQUARE ENTERTAINMENT
CINCINNATI BLACK MUSIC WALK OF FAME
MURAL TOURS
A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS BENEFIT
SUSTAINABILITY PARTNER
ANTHONY HAMILTON
Proclaimed a “national treasure” by the Los Angeles Times , Grammy- winning singer, songwriter, producer, and actor Anthony Hamilton has achieved global sales of over 50 million albums. The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee notably performed for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, cementing his place in the history books as the “narrator of love.” Introduced by way of the iconic 2003 smash “Charlene,” his raw, awe-inspiring performances garnered the attention of NPR where he starred in their Noteworthy documentary series. He made his film debut in the critically acclaimed American Gangster , and lent his vocals to the song “Freedom” from the Oscar-nominated film Django Unchained . Hamilton now adds author and publisher to his list of accomplishments with the unveiling of his first self-published book, Cornbread, Fish ‘n Collard Greens , where he shares the inspiration for some of the iconic songs in his illustrious career and his love of southern food. Hamilton recently starred as Kyle Kirby in the feature film Carl Weber’s Influence , now streaming on BET+.
JAZMINE SULLIVAN
Often cited as one of today’s most dynamic vocalists, two-time Grammy Award winner Jazmine Sullivan took the world by storm in 2021 with the lauded Heaux Tales . The project, featuring vulnerable lyrics and candid spoken word interludes, marked Sullivan’s second #1 R&B Albums chart debut. In 2022, Sullivan won her first Grammy Award, with Heaux Tales winning Best R&B Album and “Pick Up Your Feelings” earning Best R&B Song
The widespread success and cultural impact of Heaux Tales led to her inclusion in the 2022 TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people. Sullivan’s original song “Stand Up” was featured in MGM’s Orion Pictures’ film Till . This followed her stirring rendition of “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic, Elvis . In 2024, Sullivan embarked on a sold-out European tour with stops in Paris and Manchester, performed at The Recipe and North Sea Jazz festivals, and joined Maxwell’s The Serenade Tour.
PJ MORTON
PJ Morton is a soul singer, songwriter, performer, and producer based in New Orleans. He is a fivetime Grammy-winner and twenty-time Grammy nominee who has earned numerous nominations for BET, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards, in addition to selling out countless shows at historic venues like the Apollo Theater, Kennedy Center and others around the world. On top of running his own record label (Morton Records) and serving as Maroon 5’s full-time keyboardist for over twelve years, he has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jon Batiste, Nas, Lil Wayne, JoJo, Yebba, Jill Scott and many others.
In 2024, PJ Morton became the first Black composer to ever write an original song for a Disney attraction— Tiana’s Bayou Adventure—at Disneyland and Disney World. He also released an album, Cape Town to Cairo , entirely written, recorded and produced during a 30-day trip across Africa, and published a new book titled Saturday Night, Sunday Morning via Worthy Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, the memoir sees him recounting and reflecting upon a trailblazing path that continues to defy expectations and straddle the tensions of music and faith, race and culture, expression and identity.
THE ZAPP BAND
Zapp unleashes funky, high-energy music with a contagious groove built for dancing, loving and good times. Made up of masterful musicians who have been getting down together since the late 1970s, the group’s sizzling chemistry can be attributed to the fact that it has always been a joyful family affair.
The band started with Lil’ Roger and Lil’ Lester in 1966 as Lil’ Roger and the Vels, changed to Roger and the Human Body in 1974, and finally became Zapp in 1977.
Now bandleader Lester Troutman, Sr. (drums), Terry “Zapp” Troutman (talkbox/keyboards/bass), Bart Thomas (talkbox/vocals/keyboards/bass), Dale DeGroat (musical direction/keyboards/ vocals), Thomas Troutman (keyboards/vocals), Riccardo Bray (guitar) and Anthony Arrington (sax) carry on the legacy of a tight-knit group of expert players and funk, soul and party band pioneers.
Proud to Play a Supporting Role
Thank you to Cincinnati Music Festival for bringing exceptional performances to our community!
HEADLINE HERE SATURDAY
LL COOL J
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Kennedy Center Honoree, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and brands in entertainment and continues to display his wide range of talents with every project.
First introduced to the world in 1984 as a Def Jam Recordings’ flagship artist, LL is the first rap artist to amass ten consecutive platinum-plus selling albums, including his critically-acclaimed debut album, Radio, and the international, timeless anthem and album of the same name, Mama Said Knock You Out. LL’s hit singles include “Going Back to Cali,” “Doin’ It,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Loungin’”, “Headsprung,” and Hip-Hop’s first rap ballad “I Need Love.”
Last year LL made his latest artistic contribution and continued elevating Hip-Hop culture after over a decade long hiatus with the September 6th, 2024 release of his highly anticipated new album, FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), executive produced by Hip-Hop innovator and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Q-Tip, of A Tribe Called Quest. With this album, LL helped celebrate the 40th anniversary of the creation of Def Jam Recordings and became the first Hip-Hop artist to chart Billboard entries across five decades.
NEW WEEKDAYS 2e | 1p
A TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE BEVERLY
We are proud to honor the extraordinary legacy of Frankie Beverly, the heartbeat of the Cincinnati Music Festival. Frankie graced our stage for a total of 19 times, creating unforgettable moments from 1977 to 2019. He wasn’t just a fan favorite, he was family. His signature all-white Saturday look became a cherished tradition, and the sight of fans line dancing in the aisles created a spirit of unity that lives on to this day. Although he is no longer with us in person, Frankie’s influence remains intertwined into the soul of the Festival. This year, we celebrate that legacy with a very special tribute featuring an incredible lineup of artists that we’ve carefully selected to uphold his spirit and sound. It’s an honor to welcome The TMF Band (formerly known as Maze) featuring Jubu, alongside special guests Ronald Isley, Joe, After 7, Dave Hollister, and Raheem DeVaughn. Each one a respected artist in their own right, and each chosen for their connection to the soulful tradition Frankie helped build. Join us as we lift our voices and our hearts to honor the man who gave so much to this Festival. Thank you, Frankie. Your legacy lives on.
FEATURING:
Michael L. Mitchell | perspectiveimage.net
TONI BRAXTON
Braxton began singing professionally in the ‘80s with her three sisters as The Braxtons. People first connected with Toni when she was featured on the soundtrack to Boomerang in 1992. Braxton broke through in 1993 with her self-titled debut album—now eight times platinum. The project also garnered the singer the first three of her seven Grammy Awards, including best new artist.
Between 1996 and 2010, she released six solo albums (Secrets, The Heat, Snowflakes, More Than a Woman, Libra and Pulse) and charted a string of hits (including “You Mean the World to Me,” “You’re Makin’ Me High” and “I Love Me Some Him”/ “I Don’t Want To”) before teaming with Babyface in 2014 for the critically acclaimed duets album that won her a seventh Grammy for Best R&B Album. The unstoppable vocalist then roared back in 2018 with Sex & Cigarettes—and simultaneously kicked off her silver anniversary in music. Beyond music, Braxton has left her imprint on two other notable ventures. In April 2023, she signed an all-encompassing production deal with the Lifetime and A+E network creating Braxtoni Productions. She previously starred in three TV films for Lifetime—2013’s Twist of Faith, 2016’s Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (adapted from her same-titled, 2014 best-selling memoir) and 2018’s Faith Under Fire: the Antoinette Tuff Story. In addition to Braxton’s Lifetime TV movies, she and her sisters became popular reality stars via WE tv’s flagship series Braxton Family Values.
Two-time Grammy-award winning R&B star Lucky Daye discovered his love of music in life in his hometown of New
the 65th annual GRAMMY Awards (including Album of the Year twice for writing credits on Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE and Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous) and released his sophomore Grammy nominated album Candydrip. Lucky won his second Grammy award in 2025 for Best Traditional R&B Performance with his hit song “That’s You” from his latest album.
112
Founded by group member Michael Keith, the Atlanta based group 112 rose in 1996 with their debut album, 112, which went double platinum and gave us hit records “Cupid” and “Only You.” The group quickly followed up their debut Room 112. The Grammy-winners were also declared victorious on VERZUZ scorecards from both Billboard.com and Revolt.tv after the legendary group went head-to-head with Jagged Edge in a Memorial Day edition of the music battle.
The Bar-Kays are a prominent soul and funk band that emerged from Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-1960s. They initially gained recognition as a studio session band for Stax Records, backing artists like Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. Despite facing significant challenges, including a tragic plane crash in 1967 that killed several members and Otis Redding, the band has continued to perform and record for over six decades. They are known for hits like “Soul Finger” and have been inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Metro isn’t just a ride; it’s your ticket to exploring all the best Cincinnati and Hamilton County have to offer. Whether you’re cheering for your hometown team, savoring a 5-Way at your favorite chili spot, or heading Up the Hill for a new adventure, Metro makes it easy, affordable, and comfortable. Learn more at Go-Metro.com
HEADLINE HERE STAFF
The Santangelo Group Inc
Joe Santangelo Promoter/Executive Producer
Lois Santangelo
Fran Santangelo DiBattista
Chris DiBattista
Jorja Wilkerson
Thomas Knott
Mark Santangelo
Otto Wellborn
Ron Dumas
Marvin Butts, Jenny
Jones
David Arnold
Julie Riley
Many Thanks
Santangelo Group Inc Partners
Brian Sells
Wurzelbacher Staging Gameday Communications
Sister Keli
513 Bomani Tyehimba
Damian Simmons
CINCINNATI
