The 6th annual Art of Cool Festival invaded Durham, North Carolina for a weekend riddled with a devout appreciation for the multifarious world of music and the arts.
Friday, September 27 through Sunday, September 29, 2019 housed a diverse range of community engagement activities and memorable performances that epitomized a progressive stance taken on an inclusive learning experience.
A distinctive assortment of iconic sounds and influences within modern day music shared the stage at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, including but not limited to – Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Run DMC, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, BJ The Chicago Kid, Talib Kweli and many more.
With an impressive lineup featuring the above mentioned, you can only imagine the culmination of attendees gathered in one remote location to experience musical grandeur of this stature. It’s not very often that you find a common ground between the young adult cohort and experienced “cooligan’s” of the Bull City, but music was the catalyst that ignited the drive for melodic refinement.
NBA legend Rasheed Wallace served as the moderator for the festivities while The DOME Group LLC and it’s partners curated one of the most memorable weekends to make landfall in the Tar Heel State.
The Art of Cool Festival 2019 fused forward-thinking R&B, Neo Soul, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Alternative and spoken word greats over the course of one weekend encompassed with a shared responsibility to push the culture forward, while simultaneously paying homage to the same era-defining artist that created the culture.
There was even a dab of political influence added into the mix once Governor Roy Cooper made an impromptu appearance to welcome his fellow North Carolinian’s.
My favorite takeaway from the weekend was on Night 2 – as the evening progressed throughout the performances, the esteemed virtuoso Big Daddy Kane – sporting a custom MCM silk cape and wide-brimmed hat – was honored for his induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, where it was also announced that Oct.17 will be Big Daddy Kane Day in North Carolina.
In truth, I can honestly say AOCFest weekend was an unmatched learning experience where I was presented the opportunity to immerse myself in a different era, a different time where words were weighed heavily and there was a conscious effort in the art of storytelling.
Can’t wait to see what the Bull City has to offer at next year’s Art of Cool Festival.
