Downtown Long Beach is getting a new Juneteenth festival this year, launched by the city’s most famous record store, known for helping shape the direction of West Coast hip-hop.
On Saturday, June 20, VIP Records and the VIP Family Foundation are launching their inaugural World Famous Block Party: Juneteenth Edition. No tickets required, the event is free for all ages, hosted at Promenade Square Park from noon to 8 p.m.
“VIP Records has been part of this community for over 45 years,” said Kelvin Anderson, the shop’s longtime owner. “Juneteenth is about freedom and celebration, and there is no better place to do that than right here in Long Beach.”
The block party will have two stages for live performances, with the VIP Main Stage being hosted by KJLH’s Ricky Ruckus. The program headlines with a DJ set from legendary West Coast producer DJ Battlecat, someone Anderson describes as “an unsung leader for West Coast hip-hop.” Battlecat will be joined by Emi Secrest, The Gumbo Brothers, and more performers to be announced.
The LBC Park Jam Stage will be hosted by Medusa, widely known as the queen of LA’s underground hip-hop, with sounds spanning multiple genres and generations curated by LBC Park Jam, Long Beach’s longest-running day party since 2003.
Beyond the music, the event reflects a broader vision that Tenisha Anderson, Kelvin’s daughter and the founder of the VIP Family Foundation, has been building toward. “We’ve always wanted to keep this energy of urban music going,” she said. “The goal is to have activation based on gospel, reggae, blues, hip-hop, and R&B,” with hopes of unifying the different Long Beach communities, “we want one Long Beach sound.”
In another attempt to unify Long Beach’s Black community, VIP Records coordinated with the separate Juneteenth celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Tenisha has been working on the organizing committee for the MLK Park event as well as producing their own, to avoid competing and encourage cooperation. Long Beach will also be offering a complimentary shuttle service between the two venues throughout the day for those interested in attending both events.
Supporting local Black-owned businesses is also a key part of the celebration. The Juneteenth Black Business Shuttle Tour, organized by the CRayProject, DIG Life, and Urban Society Long Beach, will run from 1 to 5 p.m., offering rides to Black-owned businesses through Downtown Long Beach with pickups at the Edison Theatre.
“If I have any opportunity to pour into other small businesses, I want to do that,” Tenisha said.
Kelvin, who watched the Black-owned businesses that surrounded VIP when it opened in 1978 slowly disappear over the decades, finds significance in this support. “I’ve watched over the last 40 to 50 years the deterioration of Black-owned businesses, and it’s been a sad situation both economically and socially.”
VIP Records itself has had to evolve over the years, downsizing and even moving from its iconic location on Pacific Coast Highway, where artists like Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G got their start. The store’s iconic sign, featured in Snoop’s “Who Am I? (What’s My Name)” video, remains in storage while the city prepares a small park for its display.
VIP’s current location, around the corner from the original spot, remains a global destination for fans, and Kelvin hopes to eventually transform the business into a museum of Black music and hip-hop culture.
Saturday’s celebration will also include an interactive hip-hop exhibition with DJ Battlecat on the Art of DJing, hosted by Good Luck Vinyl at the nearby Edison Theatre. More features include a free Polaroid portrait and mixed-media art workshop presented by Getty, and family games experiences with lessons in Spades, Bid Whist, Tunk, and Dominoes.
VIP also has plans to host a series of block parties throughout the year, each with themes featuring different genres taking place in different parts of Long Beach. “This is about the sound of Long Beach,” Tenisha said.
The World Famous Block Party: Juneteenth Edition takes place June 20, at Promenade Square Park, 215 E. 1st Street, Long Beach. Free admission, but RSVP encouraged at viplbc.com.
Food vendors include Marathon Burger, Cultured Soul, Glizzy Street, and Wangs n Thangs. Attendees should also note that a clear bag policy will be enforced, with security screenings at all entrances. Park chairs are also encouraged for those who may want to sit throughout the day.