Rhyme Fest Founded in 2013, an annual, hip-hop festival that spotlights lyricists, DJs, Breakers and Graffiti Art. the festival has expanded to the LA Memorial Coliseum and its now bigger then ever.
LOS ANGELES, CA, August 22, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Rhyme Fest transformed The L.A. Memorial Coliseum into a Hip-Hop Homecoming—Capping a 12-Year Rise and Pointing to an Even Bigger 2026
On Saturday, August 16, Rhyme Fest took over The LA Memorial Coliseum, delivering a wall-to-wall celebration that felt like a family reunion for real hip-hop. From first bar to last encore, the show stitched generations together—Raekwon & Ghostface Killah headlined with razor-sharp chemistry, Cappadonna jumped in for a Wu surprise, and West Coast pillars Xzibit and DJ Quik tore through hometown anthems. The result: a packed plaza, smiling faces, and one more milestone for a festival that’s been growing steadily since its 2013 debut.
“We built Rhyme Fest on respect for the craft and the community,” said the festival’s founder Rafael Dos Santos. “Every year we level up the production, the storytelling, and the curation. After this year’s success, we’re already planning an even bigger 2026—and we’re laying the groundwork to take Rhyme Fest from Los Angeles to the world.”
How We Got Here: Twelve Years of Foundation-Building
• 2013 — The spark. Rhyme Fest launched at the Ukrainian Culture Center with KRS-One and the Visionaries, establishing the artist-first curation and community energy that still defines the brand.
• 2013–2022 — The rooms that raised us. From 2013 into 2022, Rhyme Fest cultivated a reputation for true-school lineups at intimate venues (including a return to the Ukrainian Culture Center, The Pomana Fox Theater, The Mayan, The Belasco, The Hollywood Arena and many more), featuring names like Immortal Technique De La Soul, Yassin Bey, Immortal Technique, Brother Ali, Pharoahe Monch and Many more.
• 2023 —First outdoor venue. Rhyme Fest took over the Adelanto stadium in the city Adelanto, CA and hits capacity of 12,000 attendees for the first time in stadium history.
• 2024 — The Coliseum campus era. Rhyme Fest broke onto the LA Memorial Coliseum grounds at The Torch, headlined by Atmosphere, with two stages, graff walls, a vendor village, and more—a breakout moment for the Underground Hip Hop festival.
• 2025 — The legends converge. This year’s Torch edition amplified the formula with a multi-era cast—Raekwon & Ghostface Killah, Cappadonna, Xzibit, DJ Quik, The Alchemist, Dilated Peoples, Dead Prez, Masta Ace, Conway the Machine, ¡Mayday!, Onyx, The Shapeshifters and more—cementing Rhyme Fest as a must-play, must-attend Los Angeles hip-hop festival.
What Made 2025 Special
• A cross-coastal conversation on one stage. Wu-Tang lineage met West Coast classics, delivering a setlist built for heads and newcomers alike. As Underground Hip Hop Blog put it:
“Rhyme Fest has quickly become one of the most important platforms for bridging generations of hip-hop. It’s a space where the culture breathes.”
• Festival-grade operations. The Torch partnership means smooth ingress/egress, cashless concessions, and clear-bag entry—elevating the guest experience for an all-ages crowd right next to the Coliseum.
• Culture, not just concerts. Songkick summarized the appeal simply:
“Rhyme Fest isn’t just another concert—it’s a curated gathering of hip-hop’s past, present, and future.”
Proof of Momentum
• From 300-cap roots to city-scale footprint. Media and venue listings trace a through-line from the 300-seat 2013 launch to an outdoor campus show footprint, with 2024 previews anticipating five-figure demand for a stacked all-ages lineup.
• Verified lineups & official listings. The LA Coliseum/The Torch site and Ticketmaster confirm Rhyme Fest’s standing among L.A.’s marquee live events.
• Independent coverage & fan media. From Underground Hip Hop Blog recaps to lifestyle outlets and city guides, third-party voices amplified Rhyme Fest 2024–2025—evidence that the festival speaks to both underground credibility and mainstream curiosity.
Looking Ahead: 2026 (and Beyond)
Rhyme Fest will return in 2026 with expanded stage concepts, deeper community programming, and international collaborations designed to export L.A.’s hip-hop soul while honoring the culture’s roots.
Media Contact
Rhyme Fest Press Office
Press@rhymefestla.com
About Rhyme Fest
Founded in Los Angeles in 2013, Rhyme Fest is an annual, all-ages hip-hop festival that spotlights lyricists, DJs, visual artists, and the brands that support them. In 2024 the festival expanded to The Torch at the LA Memorial Coliseum; in 2025 it returned with a multi-era lineup that underscored its mission: culture over clout, community over trends. For partnership and press: press@rhymefestla.com.
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