As the birthplace of hip hop, New York City is not only heralded for its cultivation of what has now become the country’s most popular genre but also for fostering its continued innovation as well. While hip hop evolves and a new generation of tastemakers emerges to the forefront, the thriving metropolis remains a mecca for honoring the culture’s rich history and breadth of talented artists alike. As such, it is only right that Rolling Loud, hip hop’s premier music festival, finally makes its long-awaited debut in New York.

With roots in Miami, the multi-day festival has since grown to become a multi-city affair, taking over landmark venues in Oakland, Los Angeles, Sydney and Tokyo, with New York and Hong Kong next on the docket. Spanning the weekend of October 12-13, Rolling Loud New York will transform the renowned home of the New York Mets into a high-energy showcase of rap’s most celebrated veterans and emerging acts the Queens stadium has never before experienced.

For the reputed festival’s first-ever takeover of Citi Field, headliners Travis Scott, Meek Mill, Wu-Tang Clan, A$AP Rocky and Lil Uzi Vert will have the honor to christen the stage. The line-up also includes established acts such as Young Thug, Fat Joe, Fabolous, Pusha T, Wale, DMX, Curren$y and Action Bronson, as well as artists who have dominated the summer, such as Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, YG, Lil Tjay, Denzel Curry and Moneybagg Yo, among dozens of others.

Rolling Loud, which celebrated its five-year anniversary this summer in its native Miami, has garnered a reputation for creating a platform for both rising artists and bonafide heavyweights. Through the hard work of festival co-founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler, Rolling Loud has yielded much success, fueling a live music movement that has grown exponentially since its inauguration in 2015. As exemplified through the co-founders’ shared vision to elevate the culture and drive for disrupting the norm, they have helped conceptualize, curate and execute a festival experience that is as vibrant as it is unparalleled.

From helping elevate hip hop’s global presence to creating an opportunity for like-minded fans to build community, the festival’s New York installment aims to set the bar high. After all, there’s a reason Sean “Diddy” Combs praised Rolling Loud and all its accomplished thus far, calling it the “Woodstock of Hip-Hop.” In the spirit of Rolling Loud encouraging others to embody an Empire State of Mind, SIMPLE Mobile has cut through the static and compiled an essential guide to best experience what the renowned festival has to offer.

Some General Tips to Keep in Mind Prior to Arrival:

- Rolling Loud offers exclusive hotel rates through its partnership with Delmay and Partners. For booking information, please see here.

- New York City is called the city that doesn’t sleep for a good reason. With each neighborhood offering its own charm and allure, there is plenty to explore throughout The Big Apple. While the festival’s location is in Queens, it is merely a subway ride away from the respective neighborhoods that make up the other boroughs. Neighborhoods such as Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Ridgewood, Bushwick, Greenpoint, Flatbush and Clinton Hill, to name a few, each make for solid choices to stay during Rolling Loud weekend.

- Ridesharing services such as Lyft and Uber, as well as the classic yellow taxicabs, help make it easy to get around if taking the MTA isn’t quite your speed.

- As one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, flying into JFK, Newark or Laguardia will get the job done, making it a no-brainer to travel to Rolling Loud New York.

What to Expect:

- Rolling Loud is an all-ages festival. Please also note that guests must be 18+ to access the VIP areas. The fully accessible event doesn’t offer assigned seating, liberating fans to experience the event from where they so choose.

- To best secure a swift entry and avoid missing any performances, be sure to arrive early and make sure your ticketing information is on hand. While you wait in the ticketing and security lines, you can occupy yourself by scoping out the best places on-site to capture content, access the festival’s line-up and schedule via the Rolling Loud app and connect with other guests.

- Be sure to check out what items will be allowed on the festival grounds, as a new policy will be put in place beginning with Rolling Loud New York. For a full list of banned items and bag restrictions, please see here.

- Attending festivals can eat up a lot of your data and slow down your service. SIMPLE Mobile offers service plans with unlimited talk & text, plus the right amount of high-speed data so you can capture all of the best moments at the festival, text and FaceTime with friends to showcase the experience without having to worry about paying extra. No long-term contracts, and all on a lightning-fast network! Learn more at SimpleMobile.com.

- You’ll definitely want to stop by the Unlocked Experience, Powered by SIMPLE Mobile, where you can step up to some turntables to create your own beat AND get a special video of you doing it.

- There will be ample ATMs, concessions, free water stations, merch booths, lockers, restrooms and first aid stations on the festival grounds. Additionally, SIMPLE Mobile will also be hosting an incredible, two-story DJ booth, VIP area, interactive mural and charging station, ensuring that guests won’t have to deal with the stress of running through their phone battery while the festival is underway.

- Keep in mind there is no re-entry. Once you leave the grounds, you’ll be calling it a day.

- With Hot Girl Summer officially passing the baton to Hot Nerd Fall, it is recommended for guests to dress accordingly and be prepared for chillier autumn nights. Attendees should sport comfortable footwear, dress in layers and keep in mind that festivals are a perfect way to express oneself through fashion.

Goings On About Town:

- Outside of the Citi Field stadium walls, there is an entire city to explore with no shortage of incredible restaurants, shops and history to choose from. New York City is filled to the brim with must-see museums, iconic landmarks and ample entertainment.

- As a cultural hotbed, there are countless locations that authentically personify the spirit of New York and make for perfect photo opps. From the famous Notorious B.I.G. mural on Bedford Ave and Quincy Street in Brooklyn to the distinctive architecture of JAY-Z’s Barclays Center to milestones scattered throughout the Boogie Down Bronx to Harlem’s Apollo Theater, it’s easy to make a whole weekend out of checking hip hop landmarks off the bucket list.

- For the art lovers, The Graffiti Wall of Fame, 5Pointz Art Center and the 149 Street-Grand Concourse train station make for great pitstops, as well. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim or the American Museum of Natural History.

- While Rolling Loud will have a plethora of on-site food vendors catering to every craving, a visit to New York City is paradise for those who are on a never-ending quest for good eats. You can’t go wrong when dining at a handful of the city’s most beloved black-owned restaurants, such as Nas’ Sweet Chick, Miss Lily’s 7A Cafe in the East Village, Negril BK and Melba’s in Harlem, to name a few. Other NYC institutions include grabbing a piece of Junior’s Cheesecake, stopping by Katz’s Delicatessen, visiting the original Nathan’s Hot Dogs and hitting up the Halal Guys.

- New York City doesn’t skimp out on its nightlife either. To keep the party going, check out late night spots and clubs such as JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club, the Blue Note for jazz lovers, Bossa Nova Civic Club or SOB’s.