Soundset Festival

ONE-DAY HIP HOP EXTRAVAGANZA
HITS MINNEAPOLIS IN MAY

Soundset 08 will take place Sunday, May 25, at the Metrodome Parking Lot in downtown Minneapolis, MN, and will showcase eight hours of the best independent hip hop music today.

Confirmed artists for Soundset 08 include: Atmosphere, Dilated Peoples, Aesop Rock with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz, Little Brother, DJ Babu, Rhettmatic, J-Rocc of the World Famous Beat Junkies, Brother Ali, Eyedea & Abilities, P.O.S, Blueprint, Mac Lethal, Abstract Rude, I Self Devine, Musab, Psalm One, Grayskul, Los Nativos and more to be announced.

In 1997, Rhymesayers gathered over two dozen local artists and more than a dozen local DJs and B-Boy’s to perform at a South Minneapolis warehouse until dawn to a capacity-filled crowd. Two years later, Rhymesayers expanded the concept at First Avenue, with Soundset Wednesdays, drawing a crowd of over 1700 people for the opening night and maintaining sellout capacity for its entire run. This was the birth of Soundset and a catalyst for the success of Rhymesayers, one of indie hip hop’s most successful and respected labels worldwide.

On stage for Soundset 08, year one: Atmosphere, fresh off their sixth studio album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh*t Gold and a 20-city album release tour, come back home to Minneapolis to headline Soundset 08. As forerunners of the independent West Coast rap movement, the legendary Dilated Peoples (Evidence, Rakaa Iriscience and DJ Babu) will join the event from Los Angeles, CA. On the wheels of steel, from the West Coast, the World Famous Beat Junkies (DJ Rhettmatic, J-Rocc and DJ Babu), will perform individual DJ sets. Reigning from NYC’s Def Jux camp, Aesop Rock, along with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz, return to Minneapolis after last year’s sold out performance at First Ave. North Carolina MC’s, Phonte and Big Pooh, aka Little Brother bring to the stage one of the finest shows in Hip Hop. After much broad critical acclaim for his Undisputed Truth album, Brother Ali is set to deliver his raw emotion and political views to the Twin Cities. Rhymesayers’ artist and local hero, P.O.S, of Doomtree fame, returns to the Dome parking lot after performing there on last year’s Warped Tour. 16 artists performing on the main stage, a second stage with additional local artists, a slow & low custom car show, skate demo and more fun for the whole family!