This Saturday, June 20, Promenade Square Park will be filled with amazing food, beautiful art, and plenty of music showcasing the creativity and culture that define Long Beach. It’s the inaugural World Famous Block Party: Juneteenth Edition, presented by World Famous V.I.P. Records and the V.I.P. Family Foundation.
“Juneteenth is about freedom and celebration, and there is no better place to do that than right here in Long Beach,” said Kelvin Anderson, owner of World Famous V.I.P. Records. “We have been part of this community for over 45 years. We have watched this city grow and this Block Party is our way of giving back.”
– Photo courtesy of World Famous VIP Records
World Famous V.I.P. Records has become legendary under the guidance of Anderson, who opened his doors to aspiring musical artists decades ago. His store is now an official Long Beach Historic Landmark, well known as the place where hip-hop legends such as Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg developed their skills.
Music will be front and center at the Block Party, which runs from noon to 8 PM. The musical headliner is Battlecat, a Long Beach resident who is the prolific, unsung hero of West Coast hip-hop. His beats are the foundation of hits by The Game, Snoop Dogg, Faith Evans, and Xzibit, among many more artists.
Block Party attendees can look forward to the following:
• Two stages of live programming: the V.I.P. Main Stage, hosted by KJLH’s Ricky Ruckus, featuring Battlecat’s headlining DJ set, and the LBC Park Jam Stage, hosted by Medusa, well known as “The Queen of LA’s Underground Hip Hop.”
• The Art of DJing: The Legacy of DJ Battlecat, an interactive Hip Hop exhibition around the corner at the Edison Theatre, 213 E Broadway, hosted by Good Luck Vinyl Club.
• Portraits in Bloom: a free hands-on art workshop led by local artist Da’Shaunae Marisa. Participants will take a professional Polaroid portrait and transform it into a mixed-media keepsake.
• LBC Park Jam is hosting a kids table in collaboration with Arts Council for Long Beach, offering creative activities for children throughout the day.
• Peace & Spades will bring a curated Black family game night experience to the Block Party, featuring lessons for Spades, Bid Whist, Tunk, and Dominoes.
• The Juneteenth Black Business Tour will run from 1 to 5 PM, with pick-up and drop-off at Edison Theatre. This tour offers community members the opportunity to discover and support Black-owned businesses throughout Downtown Long Beach.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to the people who joined our organizing committee. They’ve been completely dedicated to making sure that this event goes well,” said Tenisha Anderson, Kelvin’s daughter, who founded the V.I.P Family Foundation and is Executive Producer of the Block Party.
“This year, the different Black communities within the city of Long Beach and our various community partners joined together to make sure we have unity,” she continued. “There are different Juneteenth parties happening throughout the city but it’s one celebration. It’s important that Black Long Beach has a sound, unified voice.”