Erykah Badu expressed her love for '70s and '80s babies but said that she wrote the album Baduizm, released in 1997, for the '90s babies because it was written when she was pregnant with her now-22-year-old son. She said she was waiting for the generation to grow up, "so that we can party like this." Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
Festival-goers showed up in droves to the Queen Mary to groove down by the water at Smokin’ Grooves Fest on Saturday.
Smokin’ Grooves has a history as the festival that first helped push R&B and soul out to massive crowds in 1996. After a revival, Smokin’ Grooves continued its comeback at the Queen Mary events park in Long Beach this weekend for the second year in a row.
The event spotlighted the best in new-school and old-school R&B and soul, from the young 24-year-olds, Kali Uchis, Daniel Caesar and Ella Mai, to the 40-year-old headliners Usher and Erykah Badu.
Among the diverse and young crowd, Tni Welch, from Boyle Heights, expressed her enjoyment of the laid-back vibe of the festival especially because this was her first time attending one.
“I couldn’t miss this. Seeing so many of my favorites in one line-up, I felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Welch.
But the event also drew plenty of expert-level festival-goers, including Ariel Austin, Tyra Coleman, Timmie Tee and Rickey Gibson II who snuck a $5 Little Caesars pizza onto the bus that took them to an event where the cheapest slice was $8.
“I already know they’ll run out of toilet paper in the Porta Potties. I’m holding it, and when Erykah Badu comes on I’m peeing in a cup! This is not my first rodeo,” said Timmie Tee, which caused the bus to erupt in laughter, while riders were cramped and standing.
The front-row crowd capturing Daniel Caesar. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Ella Mai charms the crowd with her energy and smiles. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Ariel Austin, Tyra Coleman, Timmie Tee and Rickey Gibson II from Inglewood wait for a shuttle to take them from Downtown Long Beach to the Queen Mary. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Festival-goers walk around in the smokin’ heat during Smokin’ Grooves Fest. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Ravyn Lenae takes the stage. Photo by Sarahi ApaezKali Uchis, sings Just A Stranger while the music video, which was filmed in Long Beach, plays on the projector behind her. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Macs Vinson dancing and singing along to Kali Uchis in his summer festival fashion. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Jess Theadas and her girlfriends pose during Kali Uchis’ set. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Daniel Caesar, 24-year-old R&B/soul singer-songwriter, lovingly sings the lyrics to Best Part. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Daniel Caesar. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Couples embrace as Daniel Caesar sings. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Festival-goers pose beside tunnel walls, waiting for foot traffic to die down to get their perfect photo. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Security guard Daniel Ariano admits he got a little fomo seeing everyone get his or her picture taken by the wall and wanted in on it too. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Ari Lennox grooves around during golden hour singing Night Drive while her audience chants. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.Erykah Badu brings an electronic neo-soul experience to Smokin’ Grooves. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.
