Big Stars Show for Trillerfest Miami, Plus a Tribute to the Late DMX
It’s been a long time since Miami has heard the sounds of a booming concert and a roaring crowd, but
Ivy Griffith
It’s been a long time since Miami has heard the sounds of a booming concert and a roaring crowd, but this weekend it all came back to stay. Trillerfest Miami went off without a hitch, reminding the country that we’re one step closer to a normal post-COVID life. The concert was headlined by music superstars like Lil Wayne, Tekashi 6ix9ine, 2 Chainz and more, and included Triller stars like Jake Paul. Also notable, a tribute to the late DMX by his peer and friend Lil Wayne.
Trillerfest Showed Up
With concerts and music festivals being canceled or postponed in 2020 and 2021, the music lovers of the world have despaired. In some countries, concerts resumed months ago because community transmission of coronavirus reached an acceptable rate. But in the United States, where community transmission has remained high, the only hope to return to normalcy has been the vaccinations. However, there’s been excellent news on that front: people are getting the vaccine, and it’s allowing life to resume in some areas.
So this weekend, the first major concert returned to Miami and it’s safe to say that it was a success. Trillerfest Miami saw an audience of thousands, and its headlining stars enjoyed basking in the love of their adoring fans once more.
Trillerfest’s lineup included:
- Lil Wayne
- Tekashi 6ix9ine
- 2 Chainz
- Tyga
- Cris Cab
- Kidd Lee.
And Jake Paul, another major Triller star, stopped by Miami Marine Stadium to hype up the audience. Initially, concert organizers said that the audience would be separated by pods for the outdoor venue, but Instagram videos showed no social distancing or masks. There was a part 2 option for viewing as well that allowed some to watch from their cars. Marine Stadium is near the coast, so there was a steady breeze. However, while mask requirements in the area have lessened significantly, they should have still been enforced at the concert. Concertgoers did not seem concerned, and ultimately felt that it was entirely worth the small risk to get out and enjoy their favorite stars once again after a dark and difficult year.
A Touching Tribute to DMX
Included amid the mega-star performances, a tribute to DMX brought the audience to a respectful standstill. Lil Wayne stopped to pay tribute to his peer and friend, per Revolt; “You see, when I was a younger kid we used to be on tour a lot, like six months out the year,’ Wayne said in between puffs of smoke. ‘And we used to go on tour with another record label because we used to have so many artists. We didn’t have to have no opening acts because we just needed another record label and it was just us and them. So back then, we went on this tour called the ‘Cash Money Ruff Ryders’ tour. See, being from New Orleans, it’s so far away from New York and Cali and sh– like that we didn’t know if it was real when we seen it on TV, the New York guys the LA people…’
‘So when we saw DMX, we all fell in love,’ Wayne continued. ‘But when I got on tour with him, now you in the hotel lobby, you in the backstage, you run across the n— and he actually say something to you. And when you see this n— talk like how he rap and you see this n— is what he is and you see this n— got a zillion dogs with him, then a zillion dogs with him, it’s impossible not to be obsessed, infatuated motherf—ing impressed, whatever. Ladies and gentlemen, please make some noise for the late great DMX! It hit my brother real hard … My brother’s name is Swizz Beatz. He would never let a Lil Wayne album come out without a beat on that motherf—er from him.”
From there, Wayne launched into Swizz Beatz’ Uproar, a fitting tribute to DMX, who died last month.
Miami’s Reemerging Nightlife and Music Scene is Cause to Hope
Whether you’re excited to get back to live concert venues in person or are more comfortable watching from home for now, Miami’s return to large concerts is a sign of hope for the entire country. With vaccination rates on the rise and weather permitting more outdoor activities, a weary country is looking forward to a summer of fun and freedom after feeling caged for a year.
In Miami, the city has big plans to welcome visitors and locals back to their large gathering venues. LIV recently reopened, giving the hurting Miami nightlife scene a much-needed boost. The opening of Pharrell and David Grutman‘s Goodtime Hotel also brought a reason to celebrate as stars showed up in droves to celebrate the new modern, zen, invigorating downtown Miami icon.
And if that good news wasn’t enough to feel like life is happening again, the exciting news that the world’s preeminent hip-hop festival would be returning to Miami in July certainly is. Rolling Loud will return July 23 to 25 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Since this is the first concert in Miami’s post-COVID era, it will be a learning experience for the next round of concerts. What worked, what didn’t, and what needs to be considered for safety next time—all of these answers will be provided in part by Trillerfest. As the leader on a path to normalcy, the concert was more than just a gathering of music-lovers, it was a pioneer and a promise: life is coming, we’re almost there.