Roadtrip to One Music Fest

Hi everyone. I’m sorry I haven’t being posting. I have been super stressed out about the GRE, post graduation goals, and applications for grad school. My mind has literally been everywhere. I’m back and ready to share my experience with you guys about my first road trip to the One Music Festival. My first road trip was amazing. We left Friday September 11 at 10:30 am and encounter interesting events from eating KFC Chicken in Pacuach, KENTUCKY ( you see what I did there) to getting detoured in a random Southern Illinois town for an hour lol. It rained so bad that day. The drive to Atlanta was everything, even though the small hills and sharp curves on the country roads were nothing to play with. The was 9 and 1/2 hour ride was worth every minute and we definitely found ways to occupy our time. Since, it rained most the drive we listened and vibed out to throw back 90 and early 2000’s jams. During the ride, we also had conversations about relationships, black consciousness, and unity in the community. The rain started to clear up when we approached Knoxville. The huge scrapers,arena, and its downtown view were beyond beautiful. We end up stopping for gas a couple times before reaching Georgia, but during one of our last stops we experienced seeing something disheartening. We stopped at a small town gas station in Tennessee to pump gas and encountered a pick up truck that had a few Confederate flags on the back and flags stating “We will keep our flags flying.” My friends and I were super disgusted and shocked to see racism so super boldly displayed. We updated on the current times and what has been happening , but we’re still surprised we would see it with our own eyes that day. However, we realized that the current conflicts that have been happening for over a year between races had being excelling to an all time high. This event or something of the sort was bound to witnessed by someone regardless if it was us or not. Nevertheless, we decided to brush it off and continue our trip on a happy note. After, we got snacks we got back on the road. We didn’t get to Atlanta until 9:30 pm and we were SUPER tired, but we’re determined to do something both nights of our stay, so we went straight to the downtown area. Our friend Mary told us that her friend Brianna was going to see the Perfect Guy at Atlantic Station because it just came out that night. We decided the movie was the plan for the night and we headed straight there. Everything was so high class in Midtown Atlanta. Girls were dressed in heels and big fedora hats I never knew Atlanta was that high scale haha. The movie was horrible lol just a warning if you’re thinking about seeing Perfect Guy don’t. The chemistry was great between the couple, but overall it was pretty predictable -_- lol. We all still had fun together watching it and walking around the town seeing what the city had to offer. We ended up checking into our hotel at 4:00 am on Saturday morning .On Saturday, we got continental breakfast around 9:30 am right before it ended at 10. Then, we started to get ready for the One Music Fest. On our way to the festival we did fast touring around Morehouse and Spelman College. The campuses were beautiful and my friend and I who were already thinking about relocating to Georgia for graduate school have really started to consider the move since visiting. We didn’t leave out the hotel until 1 to see SZA perform at 2pm. The parking at the concert was crazy expensive (as you could imagine haha) it costed you over $30 to park anywhere near the arena hall. The prices being high we decided to keep driving around and found out that people were only charging $10 for people to park on their property for the night. Great idea. I would of never thought people having 2 or 3 acres of land would allow us to rent it for the night. We couldn’t pass it up very innovative thinking . We got in the concert we all had seats for the 15 row, but we ending being able to get to sit in the pit. Yes the PIT right next to the main stage. Mannnn was the whole fest lit from Big Krit to Lauryn Hill at the finisher. SZA was so live and energetic. She’s a dope performer who I have mad respect for being the only female artist of Kendrick Lamar’s TDE label. SZA definitely gives a vibe to the audience that can’t be found anywhere else straight euphoric. Wale was amazing super turn as always . First, he performed “Bad”, “Bloom”, and “Matrimony”. Lastly, he performed my all time favorite “The Need to Know” with SZA. As you see from the picture above Mary was turnt as soon as Wale threw his sweat towel to the audience she leaped for joy to get it. Her and Latrice who are holding the towel in the picture claim they are going to each share it or cut it so they both can have a piece of Wale lol. Oh, the things we do for love. The next line up was Janelle Monae & the Wondaland Crew. Seeing her in concert, I found a new fond respect. She announced in all her shows she lets all of the performers get equal distributed performance time. I just love how they bring in activism and current events into their music. Music is a universal language and one of biggest ways to talk to the youth and society. Asap Rocky got the crowd super live. Lauryn Hill started at 9:45 pm as the last performance of the night. She vibed with her band and danced with her background singers. She performed all of my favorite hits from her Fugees days “Ready or Not.” Then, she performed “X factor”,”Killing me Softly”, and “Mystery of Iniquity”. Last, she performed Doo Woop”, and Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.”I was on an all time high watching her grace the stage. I can’t even explain how I felt watching her sing. The Queen was getting it ya’ll!! I was beyond honored to be able to experience seeing the great Ms. Hill. The experience is something I will never forget. The weekend was one of the greatest weekends. I had the best crew to do the trip with. Road trips definitely bring people together to make bonds may this not be the last one we do together. Love you all and oh yeah until next time Atlanta ❤ 🙂