Summer Jam — New York radio station Hot 97’s annual celebration of hip-hop and R&B got under way at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City.
Earlier in the day, the smaller ‘Festival Stage’ – in the stadium’s parking lot, essentially – saw performances from the likes of Iggy Azalea, Chinx Drugz, Mack Wilds, Childish Gambino, August Alsina, Jhene Aiko and Nipsey Hussle. The crowd was relatively thin for this part of the day’s festivities, with many attendees preferring to amble about the premises.
The crowd slowly fills MetLife but eventually the sea of humanity fills the cavernous stadium as the star power brightens as the sun retreats behind the horizon, featuring Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Drake, Cee-lo, Trey Songz, and hometown hero Nas, who’s celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of the debut classic Illmatic.
Take a look at some of the best photos and behind-the-scenes snaps from Hot 97 Summer Jam.
Photos: Instagram, Twitter