J. Cole’s Festival Pumps Nearly $7 Million Into Local Economy

J. Cole‘s annual Dreamville Festival is bringing major dividends to his home state.

After a two-year hiatus, J. Cole‘s Dreamville Festival returned to Raleigh, N.C. back in April. On Tuesday (May 31), it was revealed that the 2022 rendition raked in $6.7 million for the local economy, according to figures provided by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“My team and I continue to be awed by the overwhelming support we’ve received since closing out the second Dreamville Festival this April. But to now fully realize the festival’s positive impact on the local economy and tourism, it truly is unbelievable,” said Dreamville Partner and Festival President Adam Roy. “We are grateful for our fans who traveled across the U.S. and internationally to attend the fest, as well as for those from the City of Raleigh and Wake County who helped bring this event together. Our Dreamville team looks forward to furthering its investments in the community for years to come, especially as we plan for the festival’s return in spring 2023.”

After the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the festival for two consecutive years, J. Cole brought the showcase back in April. The lineup for this year’s two-day version included Cole, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, T.I., Jeezy, Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, Morray, Blxst and more.

According to local Raleigh news station ABC 11, most of the influx revenue went into restaurants, retail shops, bars and hotels in the area.

“Just great a real shot in the arm,” Dennis Edwards, the President and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau told the news outlet. “We were starting to see a little bit of recovery beginning in February and March of this year but April and having a Dreamville here in town was that, I think, was the message to tell the world that Raleigh was open for business.”

Also importantly, the festival, which had 80,000 plus attendees, went off without major incident. This year’s Dreamville Festival was preceded by new music, as Cole and crew released the new project D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape with DJ Drama the day before the event.

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