The 2025 edition of the Dreamville Festival is set to be the last, as announced by J. Cole’s manager, Ib Hamad, late last year. The fifth iteration of the festival will take place on April 5 and 6, 2025, and promises to close out with a stellar lineup.
On Saturday, April 5, the festival will feature headliners Lil Wayne, Hot Boys, and Big Tymers, alongside notable artists like 21 Savage, PartyNextDoor, Ludacris, Chief Keef, Keyshia Cole, Young Nudy, and Ab-Soul. Sunday, April 6, will be headlined by J. Cole himself, with performances from Erykah Badu, Tems, GloRilla, Coco Jones, Wale, and BigXthaPlug. Dreamville artists such as Ari Lennox, Bas, Cozz, Earthgang, JID, Lute, and Omen will also take the stage throughout the weekend.
The announcement caught fans by surprise but was not unexpected, given the challenges of maintaining large live events since the pandemic. The festival’s boutique nature, crowded event market, and strained resources have made it difficult to keep going. While there is no indication that Dreamville Festival wasn’t profitable, the amount of time, effort, and expense required to curate such an event has led many to speculate that J. Cole might focus more on his long-awaited album The Fall Off.
In his announcement, Ib Hamad expressed gratitude to the festival’s attendees:
“Thank You North Carolina. Thank you to everyone who’s travelled from all over the last 4 years to enjoy our little family reunion. This Festival is something a lot of people have been working very hard to bring you and it’s honestly been a dream come true seeing the impact.”
Over the years, the Dreamville Festival has seen several changes, including weather delays, cancellations due to the pandemic, and an expansion to two days. The event has hosted a range of notable performers, including Usher, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Summer Walker. If this truly is the end, the festival has had a significant run.
Tickets for the 2025 festival were still available as of March 15, so fans can still purchase tickets to attend. More information can be found on the festival’s official website.
