If you stand by the age old quote “Never as good as the first time” you would be considerably wrong. The 2nd annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia was an infinite blast. Unlimited music brought complimentary smiles to everyone’s face. It was a prime example of how music can unite races and cultures together and develop such an amorous and peaceful ambiance. The music featured different genres, which kept my interest; the vibes were an interesting mix.

First walking in the area you are welcomed by the smell of Philly cheese steaks grilling close to the pier. While The Roots played their first set which was about 230pm, the small crowd sat and seemed to enjoy the music as if they were listening to their admired song on their very own Ipod, but as the time grew so did the crowd. As the crowd mingled and enjoyed each other’s company they had the choice of either to listening to music by the main stage outside or relax at a more intimate stage in the tent.

There were numerous acts back to back, which kept the crowd lively. There was never a dull moment whether it was dancing to Santigold's harmonious tunes on the main stage or pulling a major muscle in your neck while you were bumping to one of Kid Cudi's hits in the tent. When there wasn’t a live appearance on stage there would be a DJ that would literally set the turntables on fire and have everyone getting up to dance. During the late evening public enemy came out, and none other than the famous Flava Flav proved once again that he hasn’t lost his touch and still is the best hype man around.

When night approached the Roots gave the audience what they were waiting for and more. The band gave a great performance and kept the crowd entertained with a lot of instrumental tricks, showing their skills. The song that had everybody on its toes was “Baby you got me” Amanda Diva sang Erykah Badu’s part, and she did very well. Questlove found a way to keep heads rocking and hearts racing with his drums. And Black Thought kept blowing lyrical winds during every verse. All together the show was hit.

I know if this is the second one the third one will be 10 times better, which would be definitely trivial since this picnic will be marked down as one of the most convivial events I’ve experienced in my life.

So, this is just the beginning. Take a trip to Philly this Summer and enjoy great foods, concerts, festivals and more. It’s an easy ride from New York City. You’ll be there in no time.

By: Shalila Jr. (Deanii Galactic Scott)