Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton and Nathaniel “Fam-Lay” Johnson say their festival is bigger than the music.
The Cousinz Festival — set up by the longtime friends and Hampton Roads hip-hop artists with Antonio Dowe, a business manager — is back in Norfolk for the second year in a row this Saturday, and it now includes what they’re calling a “pre-festival summit.”
CousinzCon, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the Waterside District, will include discussions and training in civic engagement and mobilization around critical issues such as criminal justice reform.
CousinzCon, on criminal justice reform and other issues, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the Waterside District in Norfolk. (Image courtesy of Cousinz Festival)
The nonpartisan event, according to the announcement, is meant to bring together young people, nontraditional voters, people affected by the criminal justice system and residents of historically neglected neighborhoods to discuss their shared concerns.
Admission is free, but attendees must fill out a registration form online to get in; it’s at eventeny.com.
The music festival Saturday will be headlined by international hip-hop stars Jeezy, T-Pain and Lil’ Kim.
“It’s more of a legacy lineup,” Johnson said. “It’ll be a singalong.”
While the evening’s headliners take over the Scope arena, performances on the plaza start at 2 p.m. And from 2 to 7 p.m., Chrysler Hall will show “This is Us,” an art exhibition honoring the tradition and culture of the Black family cookout. It includes work by Norfolk artists Ray Johnson and Poetry Jackson.
“We’ll be indoors. We’ll be outdoors,” Johnson said. “We’ve activated the entire Norfolk plaza, meaning: the Scope, the Scope plaza and Chrysler Hall; so, that’s three venues in one!”
Details: cousinzfestival.com
Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8139, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com
