Monday Mashups: Meet the 3-Day Music Festival Making Some Noise in Florida

Rolling Loud, a three-day hip-hop music festival that kicks off its fourth edition May 11 in Miami, will draw 60,000 fans daily to see headliners such as J. Cole, Migos, Post Malone, and more than 100 other rappers. The independent festival was created in 2014 by Tariq Cherif, 28, and Matt Zingler, 29. The duo met as elementary-school students in Hollywood, Florida, and cut their teeth in the music business promoting local shows by rappers like Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar to get where they are today.

In an industry where high-profile festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo have corporate owners such as Live Nation and AEG Presents, Rolling Loud stands out. Their independence has allowed them the freedom to create this experience but it hasn’t always been easy. In its first year, Rolling Loud drew 7,000 attendees but lost money. The next year, the festival generated enough revenue to recoup their first-year losses and turn a profit. Last year’s Rolling Loud, whose three-day passes cost $300 plus $83 in fees, brought in 40,000 attendees a day. Today, the Miami festival is pretty self-sustained through just event revenues. Amazing!

As hip-hop fans, Cherif and Zingler noticed that rap events weren’t as bountiful in Florida’s markets as electronic-dance-music ones. In 2010, they began working as promoters, earning kudos for lining up three to five shows in different parts of the state for an artist instead of just one. They modeled Rolling Loud not on Rock the Bells or other hip-hop shows but on EDM festivals that draw tens of thousands of fans. At the same time, South Florida became one of rap’s hottest scenes. Now Rolling Loud is expanding into new markets. The two owners last year launched events at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, which is operated by Live Nation, and the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California. With no plans to slow down, there's no stopping this dynamic duo!

Tickets to the three-day event are still available for purchase online. For more information about this epic festival, check out the Rolling Loud website. Get your passes today and devour the details of an incredible show alongside Cherif, Zingler, and many others on May 11 at Hard Rock Stadium.