Here's What To Expect At LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Festival

It’s that time of the year again peoples. Hip-Hop’s finest are once again coming together to rock NYC out, and we couldn’t be more excited. Taking place Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, this one-day-only event will bring together some of the most iconic and influential MCs of all time, including LL COOL J, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Lil Kim, The Diplomats ft. Cam’ron, Jim Jones & Juelz Santana, Fat Joe & Remy Ma, Scarface, Jadakiss, and much more.

But wait, there’s more! 

To get y’all even more hyped up, we chatted with Hip-Hop legend Roxanne Shanté who’s hosting the festivities to learn more. 

ONE37pm: Great to be chatting with you Roxanne! You are hosting the festivities this year. How excited are you?

Shanté: When it comes to doing festivals, people have nicknamed me the hostess with the mostess because I really enjoy hosting and seeing everybody have a great time. To do this is just incredible for me because it’s almost like having a huge family reunion on stage. It’s like being able to say that we are going to have a great time, and that’s why I tell everybody this is not just a festival, it’s an experience.

You are going to get a chance to experience hip-hop to its fullest. The performances are great, we have the best of the best including the rest, and I am really looking forward to it. It’s really going to be a great day!

ONE37pm: You’re a rap legend, and you are going to be amongst other legends who have changed the game. How important is that?

Shanté: I think this was the best thing that could have been done. Coming out of the pandemic, one of the main things that you want to do is see people. You want to see the people you love, and come together and have a great time. That’s the main thing you want to do, especially if you are someone who has been in the house for a very long time, and you love the music and culture.

We’re telling people that this isn’t just something you want to come out for because this is your era, you can bring the family and children with you. People are going to learn something. They are going to leave with a love and learning of Hip-Hop that they may not have had before.

Mainly because you’ve never seen so many greats on one stage. The old school are truly the creators, survivors, and pioneers. The still-standings. There’s somebody on that stage that represents everyone. You may say that you have energy like Busta, but you haven’t had the chance to do it. Now’s the time to do it. We also tell people to feel free to dress for the occasion.

If you want to throw in your closet and bring out your old stuff, do it! At festivals you aren’t limited to what you can wear. Come out with your Kengos and adidas! Not only do we have the greats performing their greatest hits, but we also have things like a live hip-hop game show. We have a lot of surprises!

ONE37pm: One of things we cover here is style, which you have always been recognized for. Can you give us a preview of what you’ll be rocking? Or do we have to be surprised?

Shanté: Honestly, I haven’t even picked out my outfit yet! I’m one of those people where everything about me is spontaneous and about that moment. What I can tell you is that you are going to see a lot of “rock the bells” from me and on me. You are going to be able to look at certain articles of clothing and wonder where did I get it from, or the decade it came from.. You are going to wonder if it’s new or from the 1980s!

ONE37pm: What else is in store for these remaining months of 2022?

Shanté: You can hear me everyday on Sirius XM on LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio, so I’m definitely going to be doing that and making sure everyone has a nice day. We also have a few other projects that are lined up, and usually when people say that they wonder they can and cannot mention. Because I’m such a spontaneous person, I just tell everyone to follow the Rock The Bells site, and I will keep you posted on everything. We’ve got some great surprises!

Be sure to keep up with both Rock The Bells and Roxanne Shanté via Instagram for more updates!