J. Cole Bids Emotional Farewell to Dreamville Festival With Surprise Erykah Badu Performance
Raleigh, NC — J. Cole officially brought the curtain down on his beloved Dreamville Festival on Sunday night (April 6) with a powerful, nostalgic, and emotional finale — featuring a surprise appearance from neo-soul icon Erykah Badu.
In a historic moment for fans, Cole and Badu performed “Too Deep for the Intro” together for the very first time. The track, pulled from Cole’s seminal 2010 Friday Night Lights mixtape, famously samples Badu’s 2000 hit “Didn’t Cha Know?” The onstage chemistry was palpable, as the two artists shared a heartfelt hug following the soulful performance.
While this marks the end of Dreamville Festival as fans know it, Cole made it clear during his headlining set that the spirit of the festival will live on.
“We said this is the last Dreamville Festival, correct? That’s what we said,” he told the crowd, pausing with emotion. “I’ma keep it a hundred with y’all — that sht be a lot. We wanna put on something amazing for y’all, for Carolina. But that sht be a lot.”
Cole added that while the festival will retire its current branding, it will return in a new form: “It might not have the Dreamville Festival name on it, but we will be back in this field. Before we go, I wanna thank you for making Dreamville Festival a massive success every f*cking year. I’m sad, but we will be back — just in a newer form.”
Dreamville and Roc Nation promoter Sascha Stone Guttfreund confirmed earlier in the week that the event would evolve, not vanish. “This is a multi-year deal,” he said at a press conference. “We’re working with the city of Raleigh on something new and exciting.”
Cole’s final Dreamville set was a deep dive into his discography, featuring live renditions of fan favorites and hidden gems alike, including “Grown Simba,” “Looking For Trouble,” and “Rags to Riches (At the Beep).” He also debuted his latest single “cLOUDs” to rapturous applause.
The 2025 edition of the festival also featured explosive performances from Lil Wayne and the Hot Boys, 21 Savage, GloRilla, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and co-headliner Erykah Badu, who brought her own mesmerizing energy earlier in the evening.
As the lights dimmed on the final Dreamville Festival, the legacy it leaves behind is undeniable — a celebration of music, community, and Cole’s unwavering commitment to his Carolina roots. And while the name may change, the heart of Dreamville will keep beating.
For more updates on Dreamville Festival’s evolution, artist features, and hip-hop’s biggest stories, stay tuned to HipHopDX.