LL COOL J's Rock The Bells and Black Promoters Collective Bring Hip-Hop Home for the Holidays with the Rock The Bells Festival in Newark

The Beloved Festival Caps Off Hip-Hop History Month This Thanksgiving Weekend with LL COOL J, LIL' KIM, SWV, Method Man & Redman, plus a Special D-Nice Set Featuring David Banner, The LOX, LeToya Luckett and More

NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This Thanksgiving weekend, Hip-Hop is coming home. Rock The Bells Festival returns to Prudential Center on Sunday, November 29, bringing generations of fans together to close out Hip-Hop History Month with a celebration of the artists, music and culture that continue to shape Hip-Hop around the world.

Founded by LL COOL J and produced by Rock The Bells and the Black Promoters Collective (BPC), the nation's leading Black-owned live entertainment company—Rock The Bells Festival brings Hip-Hop Home for the Holidays, celebrating the music that raised us, the artists who shaped the culture, and the community that has carried Hip-Hop forward for generations.

Leading this year's lineup, LL COOL J returns to the Rock The Bells Festival stage alongside multi-platinum R&B icons SWV, legendary duo Method Man & Redman, Icon LIL KIM, and a special D-Nice-curated set featuring LeToya Luckett, David Banner, The LOX (Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch), and more. Additional artists and special surprises will be announced in the coming weeks.

This year's Home for the Holidays celebration will also embrace the spirit of giving, with Rock The Bells Festival creating opportunities to support and celebrate the community throughout the holiday season. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more than five decades, Hip-Hop has been more than music—it has been a source of connection, expression and community. Rock The Bells was built to honor that legacy while ensuring the culture continues to elevate and innovate, creating a platform where the pioneers who built Hip-Hop and the voices shaping what comes next can share the same stage.

"Hip-Hop has shaped the world for more than five decades, and Rock The Bells exists to honor the people who made that history and keep the culture moving upward," said LL COOL J, Founder of Rock The Bells. "There's something special about seeing artists and fans from different generations come together under one roof. Bringing that energy back to Newark over Thanksgiving weekend feels right. We're going to celebrate music, show love to the community, and close out Hip-Hop History Month together."

Following last year's event, Okayplayer declared that "The 2025 Rock The Bells Festival shook the Prudential Center to its foundations," calling the experience "incredible" as artists and fans across generations came together to celebrate Hip-Hop.

More than a music festival, Rock The Bells Festival is a celebration of Hip-Hop culture, bringing generations together to honor the artists who built its legacy, celebrate the voices moving it forward, and experience the music that continues to shape culture.

"The Black Promoters Collective was built to produce world-class live experiences that celebrate Black culture at the highest level," said Shelby Joyner, President of the Black Promoters Collective. "Rock The Bells Festival embodies that mission. Together with LL COOL J, we're producing an experience that honors Hip-Hop's pioneers, celebrates its influence and brings generations together through the music that continues to shape culture around the world."

Tickets for Rock The Bells Festival will be available during an exclusive presale beginning Tuesday, August 18, at 10:00 a.m. ET through Thursday, August 20, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The local, venue and promoter presale begins Thursday, August 20, at 10:00 a.m. ET and concludes at 11:59 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, August 21, at 10:00 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.

This Thanksgiving weekend, celebrate the pioneers, experience the legends and witness the next generation at Rock The Bells Festival.

Tickets are available at www.rockthebellsfestival.com. Follow @RockTheBells on Instagram and X for the latest festival updates and join the conversation using #RockTheBellsFestival.

ABOUT ROCK THE BELLS

Founded in 2018 by LL COOL J, Rock The Bells is the preeminent voice of timeless and classic Hip-Hop that stands firm as an anchor, trusted authority, and generational bridge for the culture. As a guardian of Hip-Hop, Rock The Bells preserves the genre's legacy while elevating its influence through storytelling, experiences, and innovation that connect pioneers with rising voices. The Rock The Bells Festival serves as the company's flagship live event, bringing the ultimate celebration of Hip-Hop music, art, and culture to the stage.

Visit www.rockthebells.com, stream LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM Channel 43 and follow @RockTheBells on Instagram and X for more information.

ABOUT THE BLACK PROMOTERS COLLECTIVE

Since 2022, the Black Promoters Collective (BPC) has solidified its position as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. As the only wholly Black-owned live music company on the Global Pollstar Top 100 Promoters list (#39) and the #3 Global Top Urban Promoter/Producer, BPC continues to redefine excellence in the live event space. A 100% Black-owned business, the BPC is a coalition of six of the nation's top independent concert promotion and event production companies with a shared mission: to be the world's leading producer of culturally relevant live entertainment experiences.

Learn more at www.blackpromoterscollective.com.

Media Contacts
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SOURCE Black Promoters Collective