After taking a year off, a celebration of Detroit’s hip-hop music scene is making a big return in 2025.
The 313 Day Weekend, a musical showcase highlighting Detroit hip-hop’s up-and-coming stars and established acts, has turned into a planned 313 Day Festival. This year’s event will include an R&B concert on Thursday, March 13 followed by a hip-hop concert on Friday, March 14, and a full day of entertainment education on Saturday, March 15.
The implementation of R&B has been the most impactful addition as 23 R&B acts will see the stage.
“R&B has really been doing its thing on the underground scene,” says Chanel Dominique, who organized the event with the Platinum Professionals. “And if we just continue to let it be an every Thursday R&B sing-along or once-a-month R&B concert, then how are we giving it leg room to grow?”
“Somebody gotta do it. It’s our time in history,” says crooner Drey Skonie, who’s performing on March 13. Other local acts scheduled to perform include Charity, Neisha Neshae, Nick Lavele, Motown TY, Hunxho, Ari B, Halie, and Detroit Zeus.
“This year is especially meaningful to me, as it celebrates the diversity of Detroit’s hip-hop and R&B scenes while honoring the city’s rich musical legacy,” adds Lamonte Hays, an assistant organizer.
Over the last six years the notoriety of Detroit hip-hop has grown significantly. Detroit has nearly three dozen hip-hop artists signed to record deals or distribution contracts, and the influence of the “Detroit street” sound and flow can be heard all through the current hip-hop industry.
“Detroit is the Mecca of up and coming and thriving talent,” says Domonique. “We have a lot of eyes on us, and it’s not just the talent, it’s just overall from sports to entertainment, and film. A lot of eyes are on Detroit.”
A total of 28 hip-hop acts will be performing during the festival, including but not limited to Babytron, Detroit Diamond, BabyFxce E, Gucci Lando, Mahzi, Sada Baby, Audi Money, Babyface Ray, Peezy, Boldy James, Baby Money, Tee Grizzley, Lana Ladonna, Snap Dogg, Tay B, Icewear Vezzo, Kerch Dolla, Krispy Life Kidd, 1 Up Tee, 22 Da Boat, Veeze, and Doughboyz Cashout.
The 313 Day event has grown consistently over the years. The initial 313 Day Concert in 2022 packed 1,000 participants at the Garden Theater, and more than 2,500 participants attended in 2023 when it was held at the Fillmore Detroit. This year’s festival is being sponsored by 97.9 WJLB and Amazon Music Rotation and will be held at the Masonic Temple, which has a capacity of 4,600.
Domonique believes this year’s turnout will propel her into moving the festival to an arena next year.
“After this year, it depends, you know?” she says. “We’re more than likely to go to an arena and then still do some activations and theater-style events for Detroit. But we’re gonna keep growing … Hopefully we’ll have our own version of Coachella in Detroit.”