TeeRoy's 2 Cents:
- Ma$e has a history with the Lovers and Friends fest. It's not deja vu -- back in 2020, Mase and Lil Kim were both announced only to drop out hours after the flyer was put out.
- He did, however, wind up performing at the 2022 edition of the fest, only to accuse Diddy of sabotaging his set.
- This is one of those events that is too packed and forces fans to make hard decisions between which of their favorites they want to see.
- Even if some of these acts cancel or no-show, there are still dozens of great artists on the bill.
Is it a repeat of 2020, when both Ma$e and Lil Kim backed out hours after the official lineup was announced?
On Tuesday, the Lovers and Friends announced this year’s lineup.
That lineup includes headliners like Janet Jackson, Nas, Ludacris, Nelly, Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, and TLC. Other top-billed attractions include Usher performing Confessions and Lil Wayne performing Tha Carter 3. The lineup also includes Ja Rule and Ashanti, T-Pain, Timbaland, Keyshia Cole, Brandy, Monica, Eve, Jodeci, Kelly Rowland, Craig David, Sean Paul, The-Dream, Jason Derulo, Tyrese, Rick Ross, Method Man & Redman, Rick Ross, and many more.
But some of that lineup seems to be in dispute. Ma$e shared a PSA with his fans via Instagram Stories. The Harlem rapper turned pastor turned podcaster says, “Take my name off any and all flyers for 2024… Anybody who tries to make any deals without me physically present is not at all any official business of mine. LET IT BE CLEAR ‘Nobody’ has the right to talk for me… Whether you think I know them or I have worked with them in the past or not!”