The Roots Picnic has gotten a lineup change. On Wednesday (May 24), it was announced that eight-time Grammy-winner and recent Las Vegas residency act Usher has replaced Diddy as the festival co-headliner. He will be performing along with Ms. Lauryn Hill and Lil Uzi Vert, which will be held at the Mann in Fairmount Park from June 3 to June 4.
Diddy, who was originally scheduled to perform with support from The Roots, dropped out of the event “due to unforeseen circumstances.” The 53-year-old, legal name Sean Combs, has recently been focusing on the birth of his fourth daughter Love Sean Combs, and entrepreneurial moves. The Bad Boy Entertainment founder has launched new “direct-to-consumer platform” Diddy Direct, which will be used as a means to “help retailers and consumers conveniently find, inquire, and purchase any of the bestselling spirits under his Combs Spirits portfolio.”
DIDDY AND BILLIE ARE BACK WITH DIDDY DIRECT!youtu.be
The rapper, producer and business mogul is also reportedly in talks to potentially acquire BET Networks, also in competition with big media names like Tyler Perry and 50 Cent.
Usher, 44, last took the festival stage at Lovers & Friends in Las Vegas, where he allegedly got into an altercation with fellow act Chris Brown the night before at Brown’s birthday party. Both artists took the stage back-to-back the following evening, with neither speaking on the reports.
Also slated to perform at Roots Picnic in Philadelphia are Ari Lennox, City Girls, Maverick City, Lucky Daye, Syd, GloRilla, Eve, Busta Rhymes, DJ Drama and more, while Dave Chappelle will headline a comedy night at the Wells Fargo Center. At the festival there will also be a podcast stage featuring Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Akademiks, Lip Service with Angela Yee, Questlove Supreme, People’s Party with Talib Kweli and others.
