Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash festival returned for its sixth year last weekend, once again lighting up SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The hip-hop festival attracted thousands of fans, all eager to witness a stellar lineup that proudly showcased some of Chicago’s finest talent. Undoubtedly, the highlight was the much-anticipated homecoming of South Side’s very own drill king, Chief Keef.
The three-day festival is put together by Lyrical Lemonade and production company SPKRBX featuring three dynamic stages and a lineup filled with more than fifty live performances. Windy City artists like Famous Dex, VonOff1700, Lucki, Freddy Got Magic (also known as Supa Bwe), and Mick Jenkins brought local flair to the scene.
The first night’s headliner, the Cactus Jack Records crew, reunited Travis Scott, Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, and Sofaygo for their first performance since the 2019 album, JACKBOYS. Their set was delayed around forty minutes.
The festival wasn’t without its challenges. On Sunday around 5pm, the festival was evacuated as severe weather rolled in. Fortunately, the gates reopened an hour later.
Chief Keef took the stage thirty minutes late, but made up for it with a high-energy nostalgic set, featuring a special Father’s Day appearance by his teenage daughter and a guest performance by beloved Chicago rapper G Herbo.
Other big names to grace the festival stages included Kodak Black, Flo Milli, Big Sean, Lil Yachty and Lil Skies, ensuring a historic day in Chicago music for all.
Photos by Chicago music photographer Zeltzin Vazquez:
