Jay-Z has canceled his annual Made in America festival in Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend. This is the second consecutive cancellation, and the music star and business mogul has not yet given a reason for the cancellation.
The organizers announced its cancellation on social media and its official website on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. However, as stated earlier, they didn’t outline a specific reason. A representative for Made in America referred questions back to the statement.
“As purveyors of change,” the statement read. “The Made In America executive production team is reimagining a live music experience that affirms our love and dedication to music and the work we do.” It continued, “We promise an exciting return to the festival.”
The music festival, founded in 2012, is typically held annually over Labor Day weekend along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Before 2023, the organizers only canceled it once in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, they announced the festival’s cancellation, which was scheduled for September.
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The announcement came less than a month before the event after organizers announced a lineup that included Lizzo, SZA, and Ice Spice. “Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made In America festival will no longer be taking place,” last year’s statement read.
“This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.” The festival promised to be back in the statement. “We look forward to returning to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of Philadelphia in 2024,” organizers added.
When organizers abruptly canceled last year’s festival, then-Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney expressed disappointment. However, he said the city would “look forward to bringing Made in America back and bigger than ever.”
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After this year’s cancellation announcement, a spokesperson for Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has not commented. “Since its inception, this groundbreaking festival has celebrated music and community,” Wednesday’s statement read.
“From creating a space for fans to connect to uplifting local small businesses and shining a light on important causes,” Wednesday’s statement continued. “It has strived for accessibility, eliminating barriers through affordable tickets and location.”
As expected, the announcement disappointed the festival goers, who looked forward to enjoying exciting performances from their favorite artists. Pearl Jam joined Jay-Z on stage to perform the rapper’s “99 Problems” during the first festival. Also, Beyoncé, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, The National, J. Cole, and Pharrell Williams have all performed at MIA.
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The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Cardi B, and Travis Scott have also performed at the festival. Made in America occurs during Labor Day Weekend on the Parkway in Philadelphia. However, in 2014, organizers had the festival in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Nevertheless, they returned to the City of Brotherly Love in 2015. The most recent edition of the Made in America festival, held in 2022, featured performances from several stars, including Bad Bunny and Tyler, the Creator. Notably, the organizers didn’t reveal any lineup for the 2024 festival before the cancellation.
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