Texas’ annual JMBLYA festival took over two of the Lonestar state’s most desirable cites this past weekend. Kicking off in Dallas on Cinco De Mayo, the hip-hop friendly event ended last night (May 6) in Austin with fans begging for more.
READ: Gucci Mane, Migos & Chance The Rapper To Headline JMBLYA 2017
Chance The Rapper, Gucci Mane, Migos, Steve Aoki, Young Dolph, Lil Uzi Vert, Pell, Snow Tha Product, YFN Lucci, 6lack and DJ Mr. Rodgers were front and center as the entertainment for the summer concert series. While the Texas sun blazed on, thousands of dedicated patrons packed each venue hours before the doors even opened in hopes of securing a spot close to the stage. On Saturday, VIBE made it to the Austin360 Amphitheater for the grand finale of JMBLYA 2017.
While the each act performed their hearts out, we compiled a list of our personal highlights from the fun-filled festival. The stage was packed with enough entertainment to satisfy even the most jaded of concertgoers, but there was also much happening off the stage.
1. Chance the Rapper, Migos, NBA star Miles Turner and Pell randomly played basketball.
Festival promoters can only pray for viral moments like this. During some off time in the artist lounge, a makeshift basketball court was the place for a heated competition. Where else can you witness Quavo trash talking Chance on the hardtop. All three artists killed their sets, but this lil’ b-ball showdown made for pure social media gold.
🔥🔥Chance, Migos and Miles Turner hoopin’ it up under the Texas sun today 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/WM2FwS8V6h
— Mikey Fresh (@MikeyFresh1) May 7, 2017
2. Migos’ evening set made for the perfect soundtrack to a Texas crawfish boil.
Nola is definitely the crawfish capital of the United States, but Texas knows something about boiling mud bugs, too. As Takeoff, Offset and Quavo charged the stage at 6:00 PM, hundreds of pounds of boiled crawfish and shrimp flooded the backstage area for VIPs. Not to rub it in your face too much, general admission attendees, but this was EVERYTHING. There was nothing like sucking down crawfish brains to the sounds of “Bad & Boujee.”
3. LIL Uzi Vert took his live show to new heights.
Philly’s Lil Uzi Vert knows how put on a damn show. Before he shut the place down with a performance of “XO Tour Life Life3,” he climbed sky high on a rafter to showcase his stuntman abilities.
4. Gucci Mane paid homage to one of Texas’ most cherished voices in rap.
Gucci Mane’s set was not only packed with his mixtape classics and modern day trap anthems, but Guwop also brought out one of the pioneers of Texas hip-hop, excuse me, as Pimp C calls it “Country Rap Tunes.” His guest Bun B made his way onstage just before Laflare’s set wrapped to the roars of the entire venue.
5. 6lack provided temporary relief from the organized chaos.
Quiet as kept, 6lack provided a much needed set that allowed us to relax for a minute. Most of the lineup was hell bent on turning up, but the crooner gave us some time to let his soulful vibes cleanse our souls.