For 18 years, Jazz in the Gardens has been home to one of the country’s most low-key, truly impactful festivals.
What began as a small event in a parking lot, founded by then-Mayor Shirley Gibson and other residents to foster community and celebrate Black culture in the most prominent Black population, has become an annual event drawing an average of 60,000 people.
Music has always been the foundation of JITG, with the initial focus on jazz. It has since expanded across several iterations of Black music, including hip-hop and R&B, a testament to the diverse musical tastes of the Miami Gardens community.
What the festival means to the city of Miami Gardens
“This festival started 18 years ago as a small music festival in a parking lot and grew into what it is today. It’s very special to my heart because it gives people from everywhere else around this country to see how we, in the city of Miami Gardens, how we live, how we work and how we play, and then it gives us an opportunity to make a socioeconomic impact, on not just Miami Gardens, but the entire South Florida region,” Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris said. “You know, we’re going to sell out hotel rooms from West Palm Beach all the way down to Homestead, and with our other entertainment venues that benefit from this concert, it’ll be extraordinary. So we’re excited about that.”
JITG’s standout moments
In a weekend that was filled with standout moments, like Toni Braxton’s emotional tribute to the late Angie Stone, Dru Hill welcoming founding member Larry “Jazz” Anthony back to the group, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick hitting the stage during DJ Cassidy’s Rock the Mic Live! set and many others.
The key takeaway was when Ms. Lauryn Hill used her headlining set to pay homage to past, present and future acts. As she took fans down memory lane through hits, including “Nothing Even Matters,” “Ex-Factor” and more, she welcomed acts like Foggie Raw, Samara Cyn, Busta Rhymes and Manny Wellz.
Lauryn Hill introduces her sons Zion and YG Marley as solo artists
Hill also used the moment to bring her sons Zion and YG Marley to the forefront. She used her “To Zion” track from her Grammy Award-winning debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, to introduce Zion to thousands of fans.
“You’ve been hearing about him all these years, right?” Hill said. “I want to introduce to you my firstborn son. I know y’all chill out there, but Miami, I need you to make some noise for Zion Marley!”
Before adorning the crowd with songs demonstrating that he is indeed a direct descendant of the legendary Bob Marley, Zion wrapped his mother in a warm embrace before Hill welcomed her second son, YG Marley, to the stage.
Although it was a friends and family set, the superstar Hill never left the stage. Instead, she looked on gleaming as each act performed.
It’s Doechii’s world, and we all live in it
Last but certainly not least, Hill welcomed rapper Doechii to the stage, and together, they performed “Doo Wop (That Thing),” which seemed like an in-real-time torch passing between Hill, who walked so artists like Doechii, a Florida native, could run.
The moment follows what has been quite a year for the “Nissan Altima” MC, who just became the third woman to win Best Rap Album during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards; Lauryn Hill was the first in 1999.
To end the night, Hill was joined on stage by her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean, where they performed hits like “Killing Me Softly” and “Ready or Not” before bidding JITG goodnight.
At one point during her set, Hill had tears streaming down her cheeks, showcasing that the moment meant just as much to her as the many artists who cheerfully embraced her as they exited the stage following their performances.
Who else performed during this year’s Jazz in the Gardens?
Along with Hill, the headliner for Saturday night, New Edition hit the stage as the headlining act on Sunday night. The weekend was filled with performances by Coco Jones, SWV, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke, Kem, Beenie Man and many others.
