By Brandy Collins | Special to The OBSERVER
Sol Blume returned to Sacramento August 19-20 for its fourth year, featuring a number of Northern California acts paying homage to their hometowns and giving love to their local fans.
The two-day music festival was rescheduled from May due to flooding in Discovery Park when an atmospheric river delivered torrential rains to Northern California.
Sol Blume is typically known for having a dominating presence of R&B and soul acts on its roster, however this year’s lineup included its fair share of hip hop performers just in time for the genre’s 50th anniversary.
Fans watch Grammy nominee Kehlani perform on Blume Stage during Sol Blume at Discovery Park on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Kehlani was born and raised in Oakland, CA. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Tre’ Amani was the third performer for the 2023 Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Amani wore a Sacramento Kings jersey during his performance. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
R&B artist Amber Mark performed on Bless Stage during the 2023 Sole Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Mark was nominated as a featured artist for ‘Best Engineered Album’ at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
R&B and soul artist Durand Bernarr performed at Bless Stage at the 2023 Sole Blume music festival on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Bernarr is a singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Rapper Isaiah Rashad was one of the performers for 2023 Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Rashad’s performance took place at 8.pm. and ended at 8:40 p.m. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
British R&B singer Ella Mai performs at the 2023 Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Mai performed her popular songs “Shot Clock,” “Boo’d Up” and more. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Christian Kuria performs his popular song “Toroka” during his performance at Sol Blume on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Kuria is a multi-talented artist and has over 1 million monthly listeners on his Spotify account. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Northern California rapper LaRussell performs during the Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. LaRussell has over 400,000 streamers monthly on his Spotify account. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Zyah Belle finished her opener on the Blume Stage during the Sol Blume music festival at Discovery Park on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Belle was born in Vallejo but was raised in Sacramento. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Coco Jones makes an appearance at the Sol Blume music festival on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Jones is known for her appearance on the Disney Channel movie “Let It Shine.” Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church OBSERVER / Sacramento Observer 
Chloe Bailey finishes performing her song “Have Mercy” during the summer music festival Sol Blume on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. “Have Mercy” has over 178 million streams on Spotify. Madelaine Church OBSERVER 
Teyana Taylor makes a special appearance during the 2023 Sol Blume music festival on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Taylor is known for her collaborated projects with Beyonce, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and more. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer
The festival anticipated drawing over 40,000 music lovers to Discovery Park, generating approximately $10 million in revenue, according to Sol Blume organizers.
A series of parties, afterparties and meet and greet events were held throughout Sacramento nightclubs such as District 30, Harlows, and Park Ultra Lounge over the weekend.
This year has shown a strong focus on drawing attention to homegrown talent with artists like Qing Qi taking the stage at Outside Lands and Iamsu taking over Six Flags Great America.
Saturday’s line up was a hip hop heavy day with rapper LaRussell representing on stage for the regional hip hop scene.
Known for staging his own performances and building a stage in his own backyard in Vallejo, LaRussell explained that being booked for the festival was an honor.
“I used to do this for free in my garage. So if someone wants to pay me for it now, it’s a beautiful situation,” he said speaking to The OBSERVER.
Earlier in the day, LaRussell and his band members were spotted on the far end of the festival grounds designated for food trucks supporting a local Black-owned vendor Delicious Dishez.
San Jose rapper P-Lo, who was added to the line up in July, kept the energy up in the sweltering heat. After the show, he explained that the fans were the motivation. “I feel like I just get it from the crowd and the crowd, they keep feeding me.”
The set included a surprise guest as P-Lo brought out R&B singer Ray J to perform “One Wish.”
The rapper, who has added actor to his list of accomplishments thanks to the Starz TV show Blindspotting, expressed his gratitude for hip hop.
“I’m so grateful for everything that comes my way,” P-Lo told The OBSERVER. “Because hip hop has really, truly changed my life and given me everything that I’ve ever wanted, everything that I’ve ever needed.”
Left to right, Kam Vincent, Avery Eagleton, and Temiloluwa Osuntokun watch Coco Jones perform at Sol Blume on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2023. Eagelton says she’s been of Jones since the beginning of her music career and was beyond excited to see her. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Natalie Hinson, Lynnea Pickens and Tonie Shannon pose for a photograph at Sole Blume on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. This was a spot that many attendees took photos at during the music festival. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Attendees of Sol Blume stand in line to get their pictures under the Sole Blume arch on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2023. Over 46,000 people attended this year’s Sol Blume. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
VIP attendees cheer on Teyana Taylor during her performance at Sole Blume on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Attendees watch P-Lo perform on Bless Stage during the Sole Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Over 46,000 people attended this year. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
People gather around the inflated bubbles to take pictures during the 2023 Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. This was a great opportunity for people to get photos for their social media accounts. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
General admission attendees sit and listen to performers and wait in line during the Sol Blume music festival on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer 
Kehlani fan Kinshasa Haug shows her tattoo of Kehlani’s face on the side of her calf at Sol Blume on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2023. Haug said she hoped she could meet her at the after party and get a tattoo of her autograph. Madelaine Church OBSERVER 
Concertgoer Emani Gardner dances while waiting for Chloe Bailey to perform at Sol Blume on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Madelaine Church OBSERVER Credit: Madelaine Church / Sacramento Observer
Sunday’s set marked a return to a mellower R&B groove, beginning the day with San Francisco artist Christian Kuria performing tracks from his latest album “Suspension of Disbelief.”
Arin Ray returned for his second performance at Sol Blume, and was later serenaded on stage by CoCo Jones during her song, “Fallin.”
Also added to the line up in July was Vallejo artist Zyah Belle. Belle, who attended Sac State, encouraged audience members to join her in a family barbeque favorite dance “The Electric Slide,” while she performed.
Sunday also showcased many big household names. Teyana Taylor gave a theatrical performance during her set. Chloe shined as the crowd sang her hit “Have Mercy.” Durand Bernarr in green leather recited affirmations and held a near Sunday sermon as he instructed the crowd to “turn to your neighbor.” But Sunday belonged to Oakland’s Kehlani who closed out the weekend-long festival to a packed green and purple lit field singing hits “Toxic,” “Distracted” and “Gangsta.”