A Dreamer's goodbye to Dreamville: This is what J. Cole's festival has meant to me

Before I became a journalist, I was a Dreamer.

Like many Dreamers around the world, I was saddened when it was announced Dec. 10 that 2025 will be the fifth and final Dreamville Festival. Many of us look forward to this big family reunion. But, as the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end."

Each year has been filled with great memories, crazy surprises and legendary soundtracks. J. Cole and his team provide a safe, interactive space that mirrors the Dreamville brand as a whole. It's a homegrown festival that showcases the best that North Carolina has to offer, whether it is music, food or fashion, and Dreamville Festival is one of the largest artist-led festivals in the world.

Before we say goodbye, let's take a look back at the great times in Dorothea Dix Park.

Dream come true

The original date for Dreamville Festival was Sept. 15, 2018, however, the first festival was rescheduled for April 6, 2019 , because of Hurricane Florence.

I was ecstatic when my cousin Donovin Johnson bought me a Varsity VIP ticket for my birthday because I missed the 2014 Forest Hills Drive show in Fayetteville when Cole brought out Jay-Z and Drake at the Crown Coliseum. The countdown was the longest ever.

When the day came, we got up and headed to Raleigh around 7 a.m. Along the ride, we listened to all Dreamville artists and Donovin put me on to the song "Working Out" by J.I.D. As we got closer, the "Festival Parking" signs were like the entry to heaven. I would finally be able to see one of my favorite artists in person.

We parked on NC State's campus and got out. Upon exiting the car, my entire body filled with excitement. As we proceeded up the hill leading to the festival gates, we were among other Dreamers looking to free their minds. The conversations and influx of Dreamville merch meant that we were headed in the right direction. When we reached the top of the hill, we were greeted by a vibrant Carolina blue Dreamville Festival banner as well as the sound of Ari Lennox rehearsing for her set.

As we stood in line, I realized Cole's impact. I met people from all over the world.

Our tickets allowed us to be in a shorter line and among the first to set foot on the festival grounds. Raleigh's DJ Double J made sure he kept us excited as the first performer, King Mez, took the stage accompanied by DJ Paradime, whom I'd first met at Speakeasy in Fayetteville. After Mez's performance, we were ready to see what the rest of the day had to offer.

Walking around the grounds, you saw lines of people waiting to take pictures in front of the life-size art displays featuring the Dreamville logo, the Raleigh skyline and paintings of the late Nipsey Hussle and Mac Miller. During Rapsody's set, she and producer/DJ 9th Wonder dedicated a moment to Hussle, who was shot and killed just over a week before the festival . Nelly's performance created nostalgia when he performed early hits like "Hot In Herre," and "Country Grammar" and was joined by fellow St. Lunatic City Spud for "Ride Wit Me."

We were hungry in between sets, so we searched for food. We talked with other attendees and noticed their wristbands read "FAM," signaling they were with an artist. These attendees were friends of Rapsody and she was walking up with a whole pizza, offering us slices because of the long wait. Seeing the camaraderie among the Dreamville artists heightened my anticipation. While waiting for Cole's set, we watched performances from Teyana Taylor, Big Sean and 21 Savage.

After 21's set, much of the crowd stayed put because no one wanted to lose their spot for the upcoming Cole set. For me, this was an opportunity to make up for the 2014 FHD show. You could feel the anticipation of 40,000 people in the air. The crowd erupted as we heard the opening horns of "MIDDLE CHILD" and heard Cole's voice.

The Dreamville head honcho took the stage in a red custom Dreamville jersey modeled after NC State's basketball team along with sweatpants and his signature Puma shoes. To further solidify his partnership with Puma, he brought out Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill to perform his hit songs "Imma Boss" and "Dreams and Nightmares Intro." The show ended with the now-traditional fireworks show as Cole exited the stage.

One of my personal favorite moments was hearing Cole representing Fayetteville and scream "2-6 AAAANNNNNAAANNTTT" in front of a sold-out crowd. Throughout the day, I was able to view Fayetteville through the eyes of others not from the All-American City.

'You being here is enough'

Like the rest of the world, COVID-19 shut down Dreamville Festival until 2022. However, a lot took place during that three-year hiatus. One of the most important dates being May 30, 2020, after the death of George Floyd. This was the day I met Cole face-to-face. It was unexpected, but it changed my life. On this day, I led a protest that took over the city of Fayetteville . Leading up to the protest, I received numerous calls about joining in on the protest. One of those calls was someone (now I know as Pastor Ryan Ford) offering support and inviting me to join him and NBA guard Dennis Smith Jr. downtown at the Market House. During the conversation, he mentioned Cole being there, but I disregarded that portion.

After wrapping up the initial protest, on Skibo Road, I made my way downtown. A huge crowd had already gathered at the Market House, so I got out of the car in the middle of Green Street. As I walked up, I noticed the crowd surrounding one person. I figured the person was addressing everyone. However, as I walked toward the crowd, a set of freeform locs began to appear and my stomach began to sink. All I could think was "I know you joking" and "I know that ain't him." But, it was him, standing there with a mask on and a Tupac shirt with gym shorts and long white socks .

Like everyone else, I was trying to get close enough to get a good picture, but someone in the crowd said "Aye, there go Keem" and the crowd parted. My body was somewhat in shock because I couldn't believe what was taking place, but there I was standing in front of Cole and having a conversation about myself and my goals for the protest. At one point, he asked me what I needed or wanted and my reply was "Just you being here is enough."

During the marching portion of the protest, Cole's security, an older gentleman named "Mr. E", pulled me aside and told me "You know your profile just went up, right?" and I had no clue what he meant. I would soon find out. The protest received nationwide coverage and that encounter led me to create organizations, host community events, and unknowingly become a journalist.

Like nothing I had ever seen

By the time the second Dreamville Festival took place in 2022, I attended as a vendor and artist guest because a year prior I connected with two-time Grammy-nominated artist Morray and established a working relationship with his EBF brand. Together, we hosted Everybody's Family Reunion , the "Trenches" video shoot and community cookout, and the Christmas Giveback with Vic Blends and The Two-Six Project . In addition, I was introduced to the LEMONS Foundation and afforded the opportunity to bring a group of attendees from Fayetteville.

In 2022, the festival moved to two days , however, I arrived early to attend Public Access, pre-festival activities that allow attendees to connect with notable figures and the Dreamville label while gaining valuable information and networking. Public Access is a day of panels, parties and activities like DJ Paradime's DJ class. Vendors got early access to the grounds, meaning no wait in line for photos with the art and merch.

I met up with Morray just before his set. Having backstage access was equivalent to receiving a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. It was a stark difference from the limited access on the main grounds. All my favorite celebrities and media personalities were just walking around mingling amongst each other.

Before Morray's set, the festival staff transported us to the stage. The view from the stage was like nothing I had ever seen. It was just a sea of faces. I was proud watching Morray's set and even more proud to watch him stop his set to help a distressed supporter . After his set, we went backstage before Mo left to attend the Grammys in Vegas. On the way back, we stopped so he could speak to Cole, who was closed off in an SUV parked behind the Shine stage.

While Morray's performance was my favorite moment of the 2022 festival, seeing T-Pain live along with Wiz Khalifa's "Kush & OJ" set and DJ Drama's "Gangsta Grillz" set reminded me of the early 2000s. In the middle of his interview, DJ Drama found out that he won a Grammy for his collaboration with Tyler, The Creator. He was joined onstage by Southern rap pioneers Jeezy, T.I. and Lil' Wayne. Other notable performances included Moneybagg Yo and day one headliner, Lil' Baby. Before the 2022 festival concluded, I connected with music executive/media personality Wayne "Wayno" Clark, who told me about his Fayetteville roots and relatives. While we were talking, Ja Rule walked up to speak along with Rory, formerly of the Joe Budden podcast. My level of comfort and the length and depth of our conversation ensured that I belonged in the media space, and the next Dreamville Festival was my time to show and prove.

How can it get any bigger?

Dreamville Festival 2023 was one of the most-anticipated. I was going back as a journalist and Drake was co-headlining with Cole along with Usher and Burna Boy. Like the previous year, I arrived early for Public Access and attended a Core DJs event where I met the founder Tony Neal. That year was different because I was attending solely as a journalist and was scheduled to conduct onsite interviews as well as shoot photos.

The level of access made me nervous, but my previous year's experience helped calm me down. But, my nerves shot up when I was sitting across from Brick Squad Monopoly founder Waka Flocka Flame with my cameras and notepad. I had just been watching his set beside Atlanta rapper Trinidad James (random, huh?) and I remembered going to school and hearing his music. Now, I was sitting across from him, passing him my lighter. Our conversation was more about life than music. Contrary to his onstage persona, Waka is a calm person with a chill demeanor. Along with Waka, I interviewed Cozz, Jordan, Lute and SiR. In between interviews, I ran into Mike Will, Travis Porter and Kardinal Offishall. I missed much of the action on the main grounds because of work. However, I was able to see Usher and Sean Paul perform their classics and capture photos.

The Drake and Cole set was a true testament to their friendship. Cole wore the Rolex that Drake gave him while Drake wore a jersey with Terry Sanford High School's bulldog mascot on the front. During Drake's part of the co-headlining set, he brought out "The Pack," which included Glorilla (who missed her set earlier that day), Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, and Lil Wayne. Before concluding his set, Drake, along with 50,000 attendees, sang Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" as Cole fought back emotion.

Dreamville Festival 2023 left us wondering one thing: How can it get any bigger?

Representing Fayetteville

Like each year, the soundtrack set the tone for the festival. 2024's soundtrack, released that Friday at midnight, was titled "Might Delete Later" and featured the Kendrick Lamar diss song "7 Minute Drill." The track and the project came on the heels of Kendrick's "Like That" verse. The entire day was filled with the low roar of conversations about the track and the overall battle. It was the first time the world heard Cole overtly diss anyone and he dissed a frequent collaborator.

Just days before Kendrick's associate DJ Hed hosted the Engineears workshop at Fayetteville State University with Cole's mentor, Nervreck, as a part of the Road to Dreamville Fest bus tour. In addition, TDE affiliates Schoolboy Q and SZA were both on the lineup that now replaced Chris Brown with 50 Cent and Muni Long with Hunxho. Just before Dreamville Festival 2024, muralist/rapper Andaluz The Artist completed the " Welcome to Fayetteville" mural featuring Cole's image in downtown Fayetteville near the site of our 2020 encounter.

I returned to the 2024 Dreamville Festival to cover it for The Fayetteville Observer again, but I was accompanied by a fellow journalist, Observer reporter James Moore. Together, we got to work early during Public Access. We introduced a new series called "Message to the Ville " which is a series of messages from notable figures and musicians to J. Cole's hometown. We were able to secure messages from people like MixedbyAli, Lute, Cozz, Bas, Elite and Trae The Truth.

The headliners in 2024 included Nicki Minaj and SZA (who performed at the inaugural festival). Other performers included Lil' Yachty, the Dreamville roster (besides Ari Lennox), and North Carolina newcomer Tia Corine.

Unlike 2023, I was not nervous when it was time to go backstage for interviews. I was confident because the Dreamville Festival PR team (shoutout to Trey and Allison) made me feel comfortable and I had connected with journalists like Wayno and Jacorey "Corey B" Bellamy the year prior. In addition to my scheduled interviews, I was able to have several spontaneous conversations that led to great content and connections. Interviewing Wayno was a full-circle moment for me because I remember watching him alongside DJ Akademiks on Complex's Everyday Struggle. Another memorable moment was musician Domani admiring my custom Sauced Up Customs, owned by Fayetteville fashion designer Rayy Burns. However, the most memorable moment of the festival and hip-hop as a whole was J. Cole's apology to Kendrick Lamar and the subsequent removal of "7 Minute Drill" from all streaming platforms.

Cole's apology sparked a great debate throughout hip-hop; however, to the 50,000 people gathered in Dorothea Dix Park, we understood. During his set, Cole also showcased his feature verses by bringing out Lil Durk, Lil Yachty. Central Cee, Dreamville, Benny the Butcher and Jeremih to perform songs featuring him.

I was even more proud to see Fayetteville represented in a big way. I lost my mind when I saw Cole's set featured Round-A-Bout , Ace Pawn Shop, Kelly & Kelly tower, the Market House and Fayetteville city limits sign, and his jersey had "26" on the back.

During his 2024 Dreamville Festival set , he said he didn't know how many more festivals would take place. However, we didn't expect this to be the last one in 2025. We get it though … "The Fall Off."

We are sad to see it go, but we must appreciate it while it is here. See all the Dreamers in 2025. To stay updated with the festival, follow @dreamvillefest on Instagram and log on to dreamvillefest.com . Salute to Cole, Dreamville and every activist getting active. Peace.

Rakeem "Keem" Jones is a community advocate, father of four and the owner of  Keem Jones Content Collection . He can be reached at keemjonescontent@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Reflections on J. Cole's Dreamville Festival from Fayetteville native