The 2017 Made in America Festival went down this past weekend at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, and was arguably one of the best ways to close out the summer festival season. The two-day event sees thousands of fans flock to the parkway to catch their favorite artists perform, and this year was no exception, with everyone braving a downpour the first day of the festival.
Rapsody, Sampha, Smino, Nick Grant, Lizzo, Ari Lennox, London on Da Track,Vic Mensa and more performed in the City of Brotherly Love for the first day of the festival. Cardi B, who was added to the bill just a few weeks before the festival also hit the stage on the first day, performing hits like “Foreva,” “Lick,” and “Bodak Yellow.” She even shouted out her man Offset during her performance, who hit the stage with Migos shortly after her set ended.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 02: Rapper Cardi B performs onstage during the 2017 Budweiser Made in America festival – Day 1 at Benjamin Franklin Parkway on September 2, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch)

Later that day Solange took the stage to perform songs from A Seat At The Table, and even some throwbacks like “T.O.N.Y” and the Proud Family theme song. But the true highlight of her set was during her performance of “Mad,” when she condemned racists, neo-nazis, homophobes, Islamophobes and more.
“We got confederate states looking everywhere at our Black a**es, and we not allowed to be mad? We got f*ckboys on every corner and we not allowed to be mad?” she said to the crowd. Shortly after J. Cole hit the stage to close out Day 1.

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 02: Solange performs onstage during the 2017 Budweiser Made in America festival – Day 1 at Benjamin Franklin Parkway on September 2, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch)

Like every year, there were a bunch of stars in the building for the show. Sasha Obama, Angela Yee, Christina Milian, Angie Martinez, Freeway and more were spotted at the festival over the weekend. But the surprises didn’t stop there.

Day 2 saw performances from 21 Savage, PnB Rock, Pusha T, Little Dragon, Jorja Smith, an electrifying set from The Chainsmokers and more.

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But JAY-Z‘s closing set was one to be remembered. With Made in America marking the first time Hov would perform 4:44 tracks onstage in America, a curtain dropped shortly after 9:30 on the Rocky Stage to reveal a 40-foot tall balloon dog designed by none other than Jeff Koons. The sample for “Bam” began to play, when Hov walked out to what seemed like a never-ending sea of concertgoers. He was joined onstage by non other than Damien Marley to perform the cut, before transitioning into “No Church of the Wild” and “Lucifer.”

From there Hov performed some more cuts from 4:44, MCHG, The Black Album, and Watch The Throne. During his set, he also led the crowd in a sing-a-long of both versions of “Happy Birthday” to Beyoncé, before closing out the show with “Encore” in a tribute to Linkin Park‘s lead singer Chester Bennington. At least, concertgoers thought Made In America was over. Music began to play through the speakers and a short video rolled on screens aside the Rocky Stage confusing everyone. Suddenly, Hov was heard rapping across the lawn at the Liberty Stage. The show wasn’t over.

Joined onstage by Just Blaze and Young Guru, Hov ran through tracks like “Allure” and “Best of Me,” proclaiming he was going to perform hits for the “day one fans.” Meek Mill then joined him onstage to perform “Dreams and Nightmares.”

PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 03: Jay Z (L) and Meek Mill perform during a surprise encore on the Liberty Stage at the 2017 Budweiser Made in America festival – Day 2 at Benjamin Franklin Parkway on September 3, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch)

This year’s Made in America Festival was one for the books.