Rolling Loud is a sensory overload experience. Whether it’s the flashing lights onstage or the general chaos in the crowd, there’s always a lot to take in. And when it takes place on Halloween weekend, the scene is even more out of control. You’ll find A-list rappers dressed up as Michael Myers onstage, cheered on by monsters (and random pop culture references) in the crowd. It’s a festival full of people who want to party, taking place on a weekend that’s suited for exactly that.
This year, in addition to publishing a recap by two Complex Music staff writers (which you can read here), we sent our photographer David Cabrera to capture the sights at Rolling Loud New York 2021. For three days and nights, he brought his camera to the main stages, backstage, and into the pit. Here’s what he brought back.
The scene backstage
There’s nowhere on Earth quite like backstage at Rolling Loud. It’s a place where artists from all corners of rap cross paths, sometimes for the very first time. Some performers take the time to find a quiet place and mentally prepare for their sets, some catch up with old friends, and others make the most of the moment to let loose and have as much fun as possible. Here are some glimpses of candid backstage (and side stage) moments at this year’s festival.
The crowds
The biggest thing that separates a festival like Rolling Loud from a normal rap show is the crowd. For one, it’s massive. The New York version of the festival typically expects around 60,000 people to show up each day. And almost all of them are there to party (and/or thrash around in mosh pits). Don’t expect to see the kind of people that politely cross their arms and nod along to the music. Here’s what we saw in the crowds at Rolling Loud this year.
The performers
At this point in the ascent of Rolling Loud, it has become the festival that artists circle on their calendars and plan their biggest performances. Some bring out surprise guests, others debut new songs, and almost all of them bring their A-game under the lights of rap’s largest festival. It’s an impossible task to catch every set on all three stages across the three-day event, but we captured some of our favorite onstage moments at Rolling Loud New York 2021, which you can see below.
Read our review of Rolling Loud New York 2021 here.
